CEMO Seminar "Chronic administration of SNV regulates the glutamate handling, the inflammation and shows behaviour benefits in a rat model of ALS"

IONS

Coming from Neuroparmacology group within CEMO division, the Research assistant, Stephanie Goursaud will make a presentation on "Chronic administration of SNV regulates the glutamate handling, the inflammation and shows behaviour benefits in a rat model of ALS".

As it is mentioned in her abstract, “Several neurological disorders including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are associated with impaired glutamate clearance and related neuronal damages. Glutamate uptake is a key activity exerted by astrocytes, protecting neurons from excitotoxic insults. At the molecular level, the adaptive response of astrocytes against glutamate toxicity in pathological conditions is characterized by changes in the expression, cell trafficking and activity of glutamate transporters, which to some extent may transiently preserve or even enhance the glutamate clearance capacity. The concept of a relationship between inflammatory process and neuroprotection against glutamate toxicity has recently received growing attention. Activated microglia releases various inflammatory substances modifying expression of the glutamate transporters and uptake of the neurotransmitter in astrocytes. Therefore, pharmacological approaches that could specifically promote glutamate uptake and regulate inflammation constitute promising prospects for the treatment of ALS. We have shown that intraperitoneal administration of the [stearyl-norleucine17] Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (SNV) up-regulated the glutamate uptake and decreased the production of inflammatory cytokines in the ventral horn of lumbar spinal cord when it was administrated in presymptomatic ALS rats. The neuropeptide also delayed the loss of locomotion during the progression of the disease. Together these data highlight the protective capacity of the SNV in cerebral structures sensitive to ALS and evidence a new strategy of treatment of the neurodegenerative disorder».
For more information on this subject, this seminar will take place at Pasteur 2 at 12:00.

Publié le 16 février 2012