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Author

Javier Carrasco

Bio: Javier Carrasco is an academic researcher from Autonomous University of Barcelona. The author has contributed to research in topics: Metallothionein & Astrocyte. The author has an hindex of 34, co-authored 61 publications receiving 2947 citations. Previous affiliations of Javier Carrasco include Carlos III Health Institute & Scripps Research Institute.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
15 Feb 1999-Glia
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that IL‐6 is crucial for the recruitment of myelo‐monocytes and activation of glial cells following brain injury with disrupted BBB and the opposing effect of IL‐ 6 on MT‐I+II and MT‐III levels in the damaged brain suggests MT isoform‐specific functions.
Abstract: Injury to the central nervous system (CNS) elicits an inflammatory response involving activation of microglia, brain macrophages, and astrocytes, processes likely mediated by the release of proinflammatory cytokines. In order to determine the role of interleukin-6 (IL-6) during the inflammatory response in the brain following disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), we examined the effects of a focal cryo injury to the fronto-parietal cortex in interleukin-6-deficient (IL-6-/-) and normal (IL-6+/+) mice. In IL-6+/+ mice, brain injury resulted in the appearance of brain macrophages and reactive astrocytes surrounding the lesion site. In addition, expression of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and metallothionein-I+II (MT-I+II) were increased in these cells, while the brain-specific MT-III was only moderately upregulated. In IL-6-/- mice, however, the response of brain macrophages and reactive astrocytes was markedly depressed and the number of NSE positive neurons was reduced. Brain damage-induced GM-CSF and MT-I+II expression were also markedly depressed compared to IL-6+/+ mice. In contrast, MT-III immunoreactivity was markedly increased in brain macrophages and astrocytes. In situ hybridization analysis indicates that MT-I+II but not MT-III immunoreactivity reflect changes in the messenger levels. The number of cell divisions was similar in IL-6+/+ and IL-6-/- mice. The present results demonstrate that IL-6 is crucial for the recruitment of myelo-monocytes and activation of glial cells following brain injury with disrupted BBB. Furthermore, our results suggest IL-6 is important for neuroprotection and the induction of GM-CSF and MT expression. The opposing effect of IL-6 on MT-I+II and MT-III levels in the damaged brain suggests MT isoform-specific functions.

184 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Dec 2000-Glia
TL;DR: The changes in neuronal tissue damage and in brain regeneration observed in IL‐6KO mice are likely caused by the IL-6‐dependent decrease in MT‐I+II expression, indicating IL‐ 6 and MT‐i+II as neuroprotective factors during brain injury.
Abstract: In order to determine the role of the neuropoietic cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) during the first 3 weeks after a focal brain injury, we examined the inflammatory response, oxidative stress and neuronal survival in normal and interleukin-6-deficient (knockout, IL-6KO) mice subjected to a cortical freeze lesion. In normal mice, the brain injury was followed by reactive astrogliosis and recruitment of macrophages from 1 day postlesion (dpl), peaking at 3-10 dpl, and by 20 dpl the transient immunoreactions were decreased, and a glial scar was present. In IL-6KO mice, the reactive astrogliosis and recruitment of macrophages were decreased throughout the experimental period. The expression of the antioxidant and anti-apoptotic factors metallothionein I+II (MT-I+II) was increased prominently by the freeze lesion, but this response was significantly reduced in the IL-6 KO mice. By contrast, the expression of the antioxidants Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD), Mn-SOD, and catalase remained unaffected by the IL-6 deficiency. The lesioned mice showed increased oxidative stress, as judged by malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitrotyrosine (NITT) levels and by formation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). IL-6KO mice showed higher levels of MDA, NITT, and iNOS than did normal mice. Concomitantly, in IL-6KO mice the number of apoptotic neurons was significantly increased as judged by TUNEL staining, and regeneration of the tissue was delayed relative to normal mice. The changes in neuronal tissue damage and in brain regeneration observed in IL-6KO mice are likely caused by the IL-6-dependent decrease in MT-I+II expression, indicating IL-6 and MT-I+II as neuroprotective factors during brain injury.

159 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that metallothioneins I and II are essential for a normal wound repair in the CNS, and that their deficiency impairs neuronal survival.
Abstract: To characterize the physiological role of metallothioneins I and II (MT-I+II) in the brain, we have examined the chronological effects of a freeze injury to the cortex in normal and MT-I+II null mice. In normal mice, microglia/macrophage activation and astrocytosis were observed in the areas surrounding the lesion site, peaking at ∼1 and 3 d postlesion (dpl), respectively. At 20 dpl, the parenchyma had regenerated. Both brain macrophages and astrocytes surrounding the lesion increased the MT-I+II immunoreactivity, peaking at ∼3 dpl, and at 20 dpl it was similar to that of unlesioned mice. In situ hybridization analysis indicates that MT-I+II immunoreactivity reflects changes in the messenger levels. In MT-I+II null mice, microglia/macrophages infiltrated the lesion heavily, and at 20 dpl they were still present. Reactive astrocytosis was delayed and persisted at 20 dpl. In contrast to normal mice, at 20 dpl no wound healing had occurred. The rate of apoptosis, as determined by using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP–biotin nick end labeling, was drastically increased in neurons of ipsilateral cortex of the MT-I+II null mice. Our results demonstrate that MT-I+II are essential for a normal wound repair in the CNS, and that their deficiency impairs neuronal survival.

152 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Evidence is provided for a fundamentally different mode of action relying upon intercellular transfer from astrocytes to neurons, which in turn leads to uptake-dependent axonal regeneration and suggests that the protective functions of MT in the central nervous system should be widened to include extracellular and intra-neuronal roles.

152 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that interleukin-6 deficiency increases neuronal injury and impairs the inflammatory response after kainic acid-induced seizures, and that reactive astrogliosis and microgliosis were reduced, while morphological hippocampal damage, oxidative stress and apoptotic neuronal death were increased.

149 citations


Cited by
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28 Jul 2005
TL;DR: PfPMP1)与感染红细胞、树突状组胞以及胎盘的单个或多个受体作用,在黏附及免疫逃避中起关键的作�ly.
Abstract: 抗原变异可使得多种致病微生物易于逃避宿主免疫应答。表达在感染红细胞表面的恶性疟原虫红细胞表面蛋白1(PfPMP1)与感染红细胞、内皮细胞、树突状细胞以及胎盘的单个或多个受体作用,在黏附及免疫逃避中起关键的作用。每个单倍体基因组var基因家族编码约60种成员,通过启动转录不同的var基因变异体为抗原变异提供了分子基础。

18,940 citations

01 Jan 2010
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors describe a scenario where a group of people are attempting to find a solution to the problem of "finding the needle in a haystack" in the environment.
Abstract: 中枢神経系疾患の治療は正常細胞(ニューロン)の機能維持を目的とするが,脳血管障害のように機能障害の原因が細胞の死滅に基づくことは多い.一方,脳腫瘍の治療においては薬物療法や放射線療法といった腫瘍細胞の死滅を目標とするものが大きな位置を占める.いずれの場合にも,細胞死の機序を理解することは各種病態や治療法の理解のうえで重要である.現在のところ最も研究の進んでいる細胞死の型はアポトーシスである.そのなかで重要な位置を占めるミトコンドリアにおける反応および抗アポトーシス因子について概要を紹介する.

2,716 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: After a long lag period, therapeutic and other interventions based on a knowledge of redox biology are on the horizon for at least some of the neurodegenerative diseases.
Abstract: The brain and nervous system are prone to oxidative stress, and are inadequately equipped with antioxidant defense systems to prevent 'ongoing' oxidative damage, let alone the extra oxidative damage imposed by the neurodegenerative diseases. Indeed, increased oxidative damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, accumulation of oxidized aggregated proteins, inflammation, and defects in protein clearance constitute complex intertwined pathologies that conspire to kill neurons. After a long lag period, therapeutic and other interventions based on a knowledge of redox biology are on the horizon for at least some of the neurodegenerative diseases.

2,430 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Little is known about the impact of dietary antioxidants upon the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, especially Alzheimer’s disease, but there are many attempts to develop antioxidants that can cross the blood-brain barrier and decrease oxidative damage.
Abstract: Free radicals and other so-called 'reactive species' are constantly produced in the brain in vivo. Some arise by 'accidents of chemistry', an example of which may be the leakage of electrons from the mitochondrial electron transport chain to generate superoxide radical (O2*-). Others are generated for useful purposes, such as the role of nitric oxide in neurotransmission and the production of O2*- by activated microglia. Because of its high ATP demand, the brain consumes O2 rapidly, and is thus susceptible to interference with mitochondrial function, which can in turn lead to increased O2*- formation. The brain contains multiple antioxidant defences, of which the mitochondrial manganese-containing superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione seem especially important. Iron is a powerful promoter of free radical damage, able to catalyse generation of highly reactive hydroxyl, alkoxyl and peroxyl radicals from hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxides, respectively. Although most iron in the brain is stored in ferritin, 'catalytic' iron is readily mobilised from injured brain tissue. Increased levels of oxidative damage to DNA, lipids and proteins have been detected by a range of assays in post-mortem tissues from patients with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and at least some of these changes may occur early in disease progression. The accumulation and precipitation of proteins that occur in these diseases may be aggravated by oxidative damage, and may in turn cause more oxidative damage by interfering with the function of the proteasome. Indeed, it has been shown that proteasomal inhibition increases levels of oxidative damage not only to proteins but also to other biomolecules. Hence, there are many attempts to develop antioxidants that can cross the blood-brain barrier and decrease oxidative damage. Natural antioxidants such as vitamin E (tocopherol), carotenoids and flavonoids do not readily enter the brain in the adult, and the lazaroid antioxidant tirilazad (U-74006F) appears to localise in the blood-brain barrier. Other antioxidants under development include modified spin traps and low molecular mass scavengers of O2*-. One possible source of lead compounds is the use of traditional remedies claimed to improve brain function. Little is known about the impact of dietary antioxidants upon the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, especially Alzheimer's disease. Several agents already in therapeutic use might exert some of their effects by antioxidant action, including selegiline (deprenyl), apomorphine and nitecapone.

1,438 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
07 Aug 2006-Oncogene
TL;DR: The increased dependence of cancer cells on glycolytic pathway for ATP generation provides a biochemical basis for the design of therapeutic strategies to preferentially kill cancer cells by pharmacological inhibition of Glycolysis.
Abstract: Most cancer cells exhibit increased glycolysis and use this metabolic pathway for generation of ATP as a main source of their energy supply. This phenomenon is known as the Warburg effect and is considered as one of the most fundamental metabolic alterations during malignant transformation. In recent years, there are significant progresses in our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and the potential therapeutic implications. Biochemical and molecular studies suggest several possible mechanisms by which this metabolic alteration may evolve during cancer development. These mechanisms include mitochondrial defects and malfunction, adaptation to hypoxic tumor microenvironment, oncogenic signaling, and abnormal expression of metabolic enzymes. Importantly, the increased dependence of cancer cells on glycolytic pathway for ATP generation provides a biochemical basis for the design of therapeutic strategies to preferentially kill cancer cells by pharmacological inhibition of glycolysis. Several small molecules have emerged that exhibit promising anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo, as single agent or in combination with other therapeutic modalities. The glycolytic inhibitors are particularly effective against cancer cells with mitochondrial defects or under hypoxic conditions, which are frequently associated with cellular resistance to conventional anticancer drugs and radiation therapy. Because increased aerobic glycolysis is commonly seen in a wide spectrum of human cancers and hypoxia is present in most tumor microenvironment, development of novel glycolytic inhibitors as a new class of anticancer agents is likely to have broad therapeutic applications.

1,403 citations