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Astrocytes as therapeutic targets of estrogenic compounds following brain injuries

George E. Barreto1*, Gjumrakch Aliev2 and Luis M. Garcia-Segura3
  • 1 Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia
  • 2 GALLY International Biomedical Research Consulting LLC, United States
  • 3 Instituto Cajal, CSIC, Spain

For decades, astrocytes have been considered to be non-excitable support cells that are relatively resistant to brain injury. This view has changed radically during the past twenty years. Multiple essential functions are performed by astrocytes in normal brain. Astrocytes are dynamically involved in synaptic transmission, metabolic and ionic homeostasis, and inflammatory maintenance of the blood brain barrier. Advances in our understanding of astrocytes include new observations about their structure, organization, and function. Astrocytes play an active and important role in the pathophysiology of brain damage. Brain injury impairs mitochondrial function and this is accompanied by increased oxidative stress, leading to prominent astrogliosis, which involves changes in gene expression and morphology, and therefore glial scar formation. Recent works have demonstrated a protective role of reactive astrocytes after brain injury. Nevertheless, others have pointed to an inhibitory role of astrocytes in axonal regeneration after injury. Reactive astrogliosis is a complex phenomenon that includes a mixture of positive and negative responses for neuronal survival and regeneration. Reactive astroglia maintains the integrity of the blood-brain barrier and the survival of the perilesional tissue, but may prevent axonal and damaged tissue regeneration. Neuroprotective strategies aiming at reducing gliosis and enhance brain plasticity are of potential interest for translational neuroscience research in brain injuries. In this context, neurosteroids have shown to be a promising strategy to protect brain against injury, as their effects may rely on reducing gliosis, brain inflammation and potentially modulating recovery from brain injury by engaging mechanisms of neural plasticity. In conclusion, in this work we will consider particularly the two-edged sword role of reactive astrocytes, which is an experimental paradigm helpful in discriminating destructive from protective mechanisms after brain injury.

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References

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Barreto G, Veiga S, Azcoitia I, Garcia-Segura LM, Garcia-Ovejero D. Testosterone decreases reactive astroglia and reactive microglia after brain injury in male rats: role of its metabolites, oestradiol and dihydrotestosterone. Eur J Neurosci. 25(10):3039-46, 2007.

Keywords: Astrocytes, Brain Injuries, Gliosis, Inflammation, Estradiol, SERMs, tibolone, Neuroprotection

Conference: Latin-American School on glial cells in the diseased brain (IBRO), Bogotá, Colombia, 13 Jul - 17 Jul, 2015.

Presentation Type: Oral Presentation

Topic: Traumatic and Cerebrovascular diseases

Citation: Barreto G, Aliev G and Garcia-Segura LM (2015). Astrocytes as therapeutic targets of estrogenic compounds following brain injuries. Conference Abstract: Latin-American School on glial cells in the diseased brain (IBRO). doi: 10.3389/conf.fncel.2015.35.00017

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Received: 13 Mar 2015; Published Online: 11 Jun 2015.

* Correspondence: Prof. George E. Barreto, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia, gesbarreto@gmail.com