Abstract
An inflammatory process in the central nervous system (CNS) is believed to play an important role in the pathway leading to neuronal cell death in a number of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease, prion diseases, multiple sclerosis and HIV-dementia. The inflammatory response is mediated by the activated microglia, the resident immune cells of the CNS, which normally respond to neuronal damage and remove the damaged cells by phagocytosis. Activation of microglia is a hallmark of brain pathology. However, it remains controversial whether microglial cells have beneficial or detrimental functions in various neuropathological conditions. The chronic activation of microglia may in turn cause neuronal damage through the release of potentially cytotoxic molecules such as proinflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen intermediates, proteinases and complement proteins. Therefore, suppression of microglia-mediated inflammation has been considered as an important strategy in neurodegenerative disease therapy. Several anti-inflammatory drugs of various chemical ingredients have been shown to repress the microglial activation and to exert neuroprotective effects in the CNS following different types of injuries. However, the molecular mechanisms by which these effects occur remain unclear. In recent years, several research groups including ours have attempted to explain the potential mechanisms and signaling pathways for the repressive effect of various drugs, on activation of microglial cells in CNS injury. We provide here a comprehensive review of recent findings of mechanisms and signaling pathways by which microglial cells are activated in CNS inflammatory diseases. This review article further summarizes the role of microglial cells in neurodegenerative diseases and various forms of potential therapeutic options to inhibit the microglial activation which amplifies the inflammation-related neuronal injury in neurodegenerative diseases.
Keywords: Microglia, neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation
Current Medicinal Chemistry
Title: Microglial Activation and its Implications in the Brain Diseases
Volume: 14 Issue: 11
Author(s): S. Thameem Dheen, Charanjit Kaur and Eng-Ang Ling
Affiliation:
Keywords: Microglia, neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation
Abstract: An inflammatory process in the central nervous system (CNS) is believed to play an important role in the pathway leading to neuronal cell death in a number of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease, prion diseases, multiple sclerosis and HIV-dementia. The inflammatory response is mediated by the activated microglia, the resident immune cells of the CNS, which normally respond to neuronal damage and remove the damaged cells by phagocytosis. Activation of microglia is a hallmark of brain pathology. However, it remains controversial whether microglial cells have beneficial or detrimental functions in various neuropathological conditions. The chronic activation of microglia may in turn cause neuronal damage through the release of potentially cytotoxic molecules such as proinflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen intermediates, proteinases and complement proteins. Therefore, suppression of microglia-mediated inflammation has been considered as an important strategy in neurodegenerative disease therapy. Several anti-inflammatory drugs of various chemical ingredients have been shown to repress the microglial activation and to exert neuroprotective effects in the CNS following different types of injuries. However, the molecular mechanisms by which these effects occur remain unclear. In recent years, several research groups including ours have attempted to explain the potential mechanisms and signaling pathways for the repressive effect of various drugs, on activation of microglial cells in CNS injury. We provide here a comprehensive review of recent findings of mechanisms and signaling pathways by which microglial cells are activated in CNS inflammatory diseases. This review article further summarizes the role of microglial cells in neurodegenerative diseases and various forms of potential therapeutic options to inhibit the microglial activation which amplifies the inflammation-related neuronal injury in neurodegenerative diseases.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Thameem Dheen S., Kaur Charanjit and Ling Eng-Ang, Microglial Activation and its Implications in the Brain Diseases, Current Medicinal Chemistry 2007; 14 (11) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/092986707780597961
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/092986707780597961 |
Print ISSN 0929-8673 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-533X |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Advances in Medicinal Chemistry: From Cancer to Chronic Diseases.
The broad spectrum of the issue will provide a comprehensive overview of emerging trends, novel therapeutic interventions, and translational insights that impact modern medicine. The primary focus will be diseases of global concern, including cancer, chronic pain, metabolic disorders, and autoimmune conditions, providing a broad overview of the advancements in ...read more
Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Non-Infectious Inflammatory Diseases: Focus on Clinical Implications
The Special Issue covers the results of the studies on cellular and molecular mechanisms of non-infectious inflammatory diseases, in particular, autoimmune rheumatic diseases, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and other age-related disorders such as type II diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, etc. Review and research articles as well as methodology papers that summarize ...read more
Chalcogen-modified nucleic acid analogues
Chalcogen-modified nucleosides, nucleotides and oligonucleotides have been of great interest to scientific research for many years. The replacement of oxygen in the nucleobase, sugar or phosphate backbone by chalcogen atoms (sulfur, selenium, tellurium) gives these biomolecules unique properties resulting from their altered physical and chemical properties. The continuing interest in ...read more
Current advances in inherited cardiomyopathy
Describe in detail all novel advances in multimodality imaging related to inherited cardiomyopathy diagnosis and prognosis. Shed light to deeper phenotypic characterization. Acknowledge recent advances in genetics, genomics and precision medicineread more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Clinical Practice of Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells in Transplantation
and Regenerative Medicine - Prodigious Promise for
Imminent Times
Recent Patents on Biotechnology Editorial [Towards an Ecology of Collective Innovation: Human Variome Project (HVP), Rare Disease Consortium for Autosomal Loci (RaDiCAL) and Data-Enabled Life Sciences Alliance (DELSA)]
Current Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine Immuno-Isolation in Oncology - A Mini-Review
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Effect of Nanotechnology Approaches on Anti-retroviral Molecule: Efavirenz
Current Organic Chemistry Mitochondrial, Metabolic and Genotoxic Effects of Antiretroviral Nucleoside Reverse-Transcriptase Inhibitors
Anti-Infective Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Antitumor Carbazoles
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Brain Inflammation Following Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Current Neuropharmacology Lapatinib as a Chemotherapeutic Drug
Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery Peptoids: Bio-Inspired Polymers as Potential Pharmaceuticals
Current Pharmaceutical Design Liver Stem Cells and Possible Clinical Applications
Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy Caspase-8 as a Regulator of Tumor Cell Motility
Current Molecular Medicine The Diagnosis of Large Airway Pathology and the Role of Rigid Bronchoscopy
Current Respiratory Medicine Reviews The 18 kDa Translocator Protein (TSPO): A New Perspective in Mitochondrial Biology
Current Molecular Medicine Cancer Chemoprevention Drug Targets
Current Drug Targets Neuroinflammation: Microglial Activation During Sepsis
Current Neurovascular Research Does Calprotectin Represent a Regulatory Factor in Host Defense or a Drug Target in Inflammatory Disease?
Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets Antifungal Therapy of Aspergillosis of the Central Nervous System and Aspergillus Endophthalmitis
Current Pharmaceutical Design N-Hydroxyurea and Acyl Nitroso Compounds as Nitroxyl (HNO) and Nitric Oxide (NO) Donors
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Selenium and Cardiovascular Surgery: An Overview
Current Drug Safety Role of microRNAs on Blood Brain Barrier Dysfunction in Vascular Cognitive Impairment
Current Drug Delivery