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Inhibition of p38 MAPK after repetitive mild TBI ameliorates immune signaling and behavioral deficit

ABSTRACT: Background: Mild head injury associated with long-term functional impairments (i.e., depression, anxiety) is frequently observed among patients who experienced mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Moreover, repetitive injuries within a window of vulnerability can lead to exacerbated consequences compared to a single mTBI. However, current interventions for mTBI focus on alleviating symptoms, rather than targeting underlying mechanisms. Following the initial mechanical impact, increasing evidence suggests that the brain undergoes an inflammatory cascade consisting of pro-inflammatory intracellular signaling pathways and production of cytokines, ultimately leading to chronic neuroinflammation and persistent neurological deficits, such as depression. Specifically, in the context of severe brain injury, the p38 MAPK signaling pathway has been identified as a key driver to the inflammatory response, associated with increased microglial activation, proinflammatory cytokines, and synaptic dysfunctions, but its role in the context of mild brain injury remains unclear. As such, this study aimed to investigate whether p38 MAPK drives the inflammatory responses and longer-term deficits following a weight-drop mouse model of repetitive mTBI (rmTBI). Methods: We injected C57/BL6 mice with SB239063, a small molecule p38 MAPK inhibitor, after each of the 5 once-daily weight-drop closed head injuries (CHIs) or sham. We evaluated functional outcomes within 4-weeks after the final CHI and quantified cytokine expressions, microglia reactivity, and transcriptional profiles at 4hr and 4-weeks post final injury. Results: We found that in females, acute inhibition of p38 MAPK attenuated acute inflammatory response comprised of increased cytokine/chemokine expression and microglial activation at 4-hours post injury and longer-term anti-depressive-like behavioral at 4-weeks post injury. However, such effects of p38 inhibition were less obvious in males. On the transcript level, we found that p38 inhibition not only normalized the effects of the brain injury but also upregulated protective genes and pathways associated with recovery and the maintenance of brain homeostasis. Together, these findings support the therapeutic potential of p38 MAPK inhibition following (r)mTBI, indicating the role of p38 MAPK in driving the acute and longer-term consequences post brain injury in a sex dependent manner.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE298240 | GEO | 2026/03/18

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:The relationship between repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (r-mTBI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is well-recognized. However, the precise nature of how r-mTBI leads to or precipitates AD pathogenesis is currently not understood. Part A: Plasma biomarkers potentially provide non-invasive tools for detecting neurological changes in the brain, and can reveal overlaps between long-term consequences of r-mTBI and AD. In this study we address this by generating time-dependent molecular profiles of response to r-mTBI and AD pathogenesis in mouse models using unbiased proteomic analyses. To model AD, we used the well-validated hTau and PSAPP(APP/PS1) mouse models that develop age-related tau and amyloid pathological features respectively, and our well-established model of r-mTBI in C57BL/6 mice. Plasma were collected at different ages (3, 9, and 15 months-old for hTau and PSAPP mice), encompassing pre-, peri- and post-“onset” of the cognitive and neuropathological phenotypes, or at different timepoints after r-mTBI (24hrs, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post-injury). Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC-MS) approaches coupled with Tandem Mass Tag labeling technology were applied to develop molecular profiles of protein species that were significantly differentially expressed as a consequence of mTBI or AD. Mixed model ANOVA after Benjamini-Hochberg correction, and a stringent cut-off identified 31 proteins significantly changing in r-mTBI groups over time and, when compared with changes over time in sham mice, 13 of these were unique to the injured mice. The canonical pathways predicted to be modulated by these changes were LXR/RXR activation, production of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species and complement systems. We identified 18 proteins significantly changing in PSAPP mice and 19 proteins in hTau mice compared to their wildtype littermates with ageing. Six proteins were found to be significantly regulated in all three models i.e. r-mTBI, hTau and PSAPP mice compared to their controls. The top canonical pathways coincidently changing in all three models were LXR/RXR activation, and production of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species. This work suggests potential biomarkers for TBI and AD pathogenesis and for the overlap between these two, and warrant targeted investigation in human populations. Part B: In this study we also address the aformention gap in the field by utilizing our unbiased proteomic approach to generate detailed time-dependent brain molecular profiles of response to repetitive mTBI and AD pathogenesis in established mouse models. Methods: We used the well-validated hTau and PSAPP(APP/PS1) mouse models that develops age-related tau and amyloid pathological features respectively, and our well-established model of repetitive-mTBI in C57BL/6 mice. Brain tissue from these animals were collected at different time points after repetitive mTBI (24hrs -12 months post-injury) and at different ages (3-15 months-old for hTau and PSAPP mice), encompassing pre-, peri- and post-“onset” of the cognitive and neuropathological phenotypes previously described in all models. Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC-MS) approach coupled with Tandem Mass Tag labeling technology were applied to reveal molecular profiles of proteins and pathways that are significantly altered as a consequence of AD or repetitive mTBI. Results: Mixed model ANOVA after Benjamin Hochberg correction identified 30 and 47 proteins that were specifically unique and changing in the hippocampus and cortex, respectively, within the r-mTBI group alone when compared with changes overtime in sham mice. PI3K/AKT signaling, Protein Kinase A signaling and PPAR/RXR activation in the hippocampus, and Protein Kinase A signaling, GNRH signaling and B cell receptor signaling in the cortex were the top canonical systems significantly altered in injury groups compared to sham mice. Mixed model AONVA identified 19 proteins significantly changing in the cortex of PSAPP mice and 7 proteins in hTau mice compared to their relative wildtype littermates respectively. In addition to the heterogeneous changes observed in the TBI and AD mouse models, there was a notable convergence and coincidental change in 6 unique proteins identified in the repetitive mTBI model and the hTau and PSAPP model. These proteins ostensibly indicate significant common pathobiological responses involving alterations in mitochondrial bioenergetics and energy metabolism, aberrant cytoskeletal reorganization and alterations in intracellular signaling transduction cascades. Conclusion: We believe that this work could help identify the common molecular substrates responsible for the precipitation of AD pathogenesis following repetitive mTBI, and also help to identify novel biological targets for therapeutic modulation in mTBI and AD.

Project description:The relationship between repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (r-mTBI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is well-recognized. However, the precise nature of how r-mTBI leads to or precipitates AD pathogenesis is currently not understood. Part A: Plasma biomarkers potentially provide non-invasive tools for detecting neurological changes in the brain, and can reveal overlaps between long-term consequences of r-mTBI and AD. In this study we address this by generating time-dependent molecular profiles of response to r-mTBI and AD pathogenesis in mouse models using unbiased proteomic analyses. To model AD, we used the well-validated hTau and PSAPP(APP/PS1) mouse models that develop age-related tau and amyloid pathological features respectively, and our well-established model of r-mTBI in C57BL/6 mice. Plasma were collected at different ages (3, 9, and 15 months-old for hTau and PSAPP mice), encompassing pre-, peri- and post-“onset” of the cognitive and neuropathological phenotypes, or at different timepoints after r-mTBI (24hrs, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post-injury). Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC-MS) approaches coupled with Tandem Mass Tag labeling technology were applied to develop molecular profiles of protein species that were significantly differentially expressed as a consequence of mTBI or AD. Mixed model ANOVA after Benjamini-Hochberg correction, and a stringent cut-off identified 31 proteins significantly changing in r-mTBI groups over time and, when compared with changes over time in sham mice, 13 of these were unique to the injured mice. The canonical pathways predicted to be modulated by these changes were LXR/RXR activation, production of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species and complement systems. We identified 18 proteins significantly changing in PSAPP mice and 19 proteins in hTau mice compared to their wildtype littermates with ageing. Six proteins were found to be significantly regulated in all three models i.e. r-mTBI, hTau and PSAPP mice compared to their controls. The top canonical pathways coincidently changing in all three models were LXR/RXR activation, and production of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species. This work suggests potential biomarkers for TBI and AD pathogenesis and for the overlap between these two, and warrant targeted investigation in human populations. Part B: In this part of the study we address the above problem by utilizing our unbiased proteomic approach to generate detailed time-dependent brain molecular profiles of response to repetitive mTBI and AD pathogenesis in established mouse models. The same animal models described above were used herein. A LC/MS approach coupled with TMT labeling was also employed. Results: Mixed model ANOVA after Benjamin Hochberg correction identified 30 and 47 proteins that were specifically unique and changing in the hippocampus and cortex, respectively, within the r-mTBI group alone when compared with changes overtime in sham mice. PI3K/AKT signaling, Protein Kinase A signaling and PPAR/RXR activation in the hippocampus, and Protein Kinase A signaling, GNRH signaling and B cell receptor signaling in the cortex were the top canonical systems significantly altered in injury groups compared to sham mice. Mixed model AONVA identified 19 proteins significantly changing in the cortex of PSAPP mice and 7 proteins in hTau mice compared to their relative wildtype littermates respectively. In addition to the heterogeneous changes observed in the TBI and AD mouse models, there was a notable convergence and coincidental change in 6 unique proteins identified in the repetitive mTBI model and the hTau and PSAPP model. These proteins ostensibly indicate significant common pathobiological responses involving alterations in mitochondrial bioenergetics and energy metabolism, aberrant cytoskeletal reorganization and alterations in intracellular signaling transduction cascades. Conclusion: We believe that this work could help identify the common molecular substrates responsible for the precipitation of AD pathogenesis following repetitive mTBI, and also help to identify novel biological targets for therapeutic modulation in mTBI and AD.

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Inhibition of p38 MAPK after repetitive mild TBI ameliorates immune signaling and behavioral deficit

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