A5036034752- Phosphodiesterase function and regulation
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- MicroRNA in disease regulation
- Mast cells and histamine
- Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
- Biochemical effects in animals
- Fatty Acid Research and Health
- Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Spinal Cord Injury Research
- Cholinesterase and Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Nerve injury and regeneration
- Adenosine and Purinergic Signaling
- Kruppel-like factors research
- Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor
- Cholesterol and Lipid Metabolism
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Free Radicals and Antioxidants
- Medicinal Plants and Neuroprotection
- Sphingolipid Metabolism and Signaling
- Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
- Seaweed-derived Bioactive Compounds
- Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
- Immune cells in cancer
- RNA modifications and cancer
Hasselt University
2019-2024
Maastricht University
2019-2024
National MS Center Melsbroek
2021-2024
Zero to Three
2022
European Graduate School of Neuroscience
2019-2020
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by focal inflammatory lesions and prominent demyelination. Even though currently available therapies are effective in treating initial stages disease, they unable to halt or reverse progression into progressive stage. Thus far, no repair-inducing treatments for MS patients. Hence, there an urgent need development new therapeutic strategies either targeting destructive immunological...
Abstract Activation of liver X receptors (LXRs) by synthetic agonists was found to improve cognition in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) mice. However, these LXR induce hypertriglyceridemia and hepatic steatosis, hampering their use the clinic. We hypothesized that phytosterols as enhance AD without affecting plasma triglycerides. Phytosterols previously reported activate LXRs were tested a luciferase-based reporter assay. Using this assay, we commonly present Western type diet physiological...
Inhibition of phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D) enzymes has been investigated as therapeutic strategy to treat memory problems in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although PDE4D inhibitors are effective enhancing processes rodents and humans, severe side effects may hamper their clinical use. comprise different isoforms, which, when targeted specifically, can increase treatment efficacy safety. The function isoforms AD molecular per se remained unresolved. Here, we report the upregulation specific...
We previously demonstrated that diet supplementation with seaweed Sargassum fusiforme (S. fusiforme) prevented AD-related pathology in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Here, we tested lipid extract Himanthalia elongata (H. elongata) and supercritical fluid (SCF) S. is free excess inorganic arsenic. Diet H. cognitive deterioration APPswePS1ΔE9 mice. Similar trends were observed for the SCF extract. The cerebral amyloid-β plaque load remained unaffected. However, IHC analysis...
Abstract The differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) into myelinating oligodendrocytes is the prerequisite for remyelination in demyelinated disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Epigenetic mechanisms, DNA methylation, have been suggested to control intricate network transcription factors involved OPC differentiation. Yet, exact mechanism remains undisclosed. Here, we are first identify DNA-binding protein inhibitors, Id2 and Id4, targets methylation during Using...
In the progressive phase of multiple sclerosis (MS), hampered differentiation capacity oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) eventually results in remyelination failure. We have previously shown that DNA methylation Id2/Id4 is highly involved OPC and remyelination. this study, we took an unbiased approach by determining genome-wide patterns within chronically demyelinated MS lesions investigated how certain epigenetic signatures relate to capacity. compared transcriptional profiles between...
We recently found that dietary supplementation with the seaweed Sargassum fusiforme, containing preferential LXRβ-agonist 24(S)-saringosterol, prevented memory decline and reduced amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition in an Alzheimer’s disease (AD) mouse model without inducing hepatic steatosis. Here, we examined effects of 24(S)-saringosterol as a food additive on cognition neuropathology AD mice. Six-month-old male APPswePS1ΔE9 mice wildtype C57BL/6J littermates received (0.5 mg/25 g body weight/day)...
Abstract Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) most often leads to permanent paralysis due the inability of axons regenerate in adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS). In past, we have shown that mast cells (MCs) improve functional outcome after SCI by suppressing scar tissue formation at lesion site via mouse cell protease 6 (mMCP6). this study, investigated whether recombinant mMCP6 can be used therapeutically SCI. Therefore, applied locally an intrathecal catheter subacute phase a...
One of the major challenges in multiple sclerosis (MS) is to accurately monitor and quantify disability over time. Thus, there a pressing need identify new biomarkers for disease progression. Peripheral blood DNA methylation has been demonstrated be an easily accessible quantifiable marker many neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we aimed investigate whether patterns that were previously determined chronic inactive white matter lesions patients with progressive MS are also reflected...
Abstract Introduction In the progressive phase of multiple sclerosis (MS), hampered differentiation capacity oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) eventually results in remyelination failure. We have previously shown that DNA methylation Id2/Id4 is highly involved OPC and remyelination. this study, we took an unbiased approach by determining genome-wide patterns within chronically demyelinated MS lesions investigated how certain epigenetic signatures relate to capacity. Methods compared...
Epigenetics refers to heritable and reversible processes regulating gene expression that do not involve a change the DNA sequence. Epigenetic modifications include (e.g. methylation hydroxymethylation), histone modifications, non-coding RNAs such as micro long-coding (Holtzman Gersbach, 2018). Amongst others, epigenetic mechanisms play vital role in cell proliferation development, ensure correct genes are being expressed differentiating type. However, also influenced by environmental cues,...
Microglia activity can drive excessive synaptic loss during the prodromal phase of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and is associated with lowered cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) due to cAMP phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B). This study aimed investigate whether long-term inhibition PDE4B by A33 (3 mg/kg/day) prevent synapse its cognitive decline in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. model characterized a chimeric mouse/human APP Swedish mutation human PSEN1 lacking exon 9 (dE9), both under control mouse prion...
Event Abstract Back to Phosphodiesterase 4D inhibition boosts remyelination in multiple sclerosis Melissa Schepers1, 2, Dean Paes1, Assia Tiane1, Evelien Houben1, Olga Bruno3, Chiara Brullo3, Niels Hellings1, Jos Prickaerts2 and Tim Vanmierlo1, 2* 1 University of Hasselt, Belgium 2 School for Mental Health Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Netherlands 3 Sezione di Chimica del Farmaco, Dipartimento Farmacia, Genova, Italy Progressive (pMS) is a chronic demyelinating disorder the central...
Abstract Multiple sclerosis (MS) pathology features autoimmune-driven neuroinflammation, demyelination, and failed remyelination. Carnosine is a histidine-containing dipeptide (HCD) with pluripotent homeostatic properties that able to improve outcomes in an animal MS model (EAE) when supplied exogenously. To uncover if endogenous carnosine involved in, protects against, MS-related demyelination or remyelination failure, we here studied the HCD-synthesizing enzyme synthase (CARNS1) human...