The role of crosstalk between neurons and glia on experimental dopaminergic dysfunctions: how novelty in image analysis and glia to neuron exosome transfer can help us?

• Grant number: 19/14765-5
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): September 10, 2019
• Effective date (End): December 19, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Neuropsychopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Elaine Aparecida Del Bel Belluz Guimarães
• Grantee: Rafaela Aparecida Ponciano da Silva de Moraes
• Supervisor abroad: Frank Kirchhoff
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirão Preto (FORP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Local de pesquisa : Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
• Associated to the scholarship: 19/02300-8 - Doxycycline effects in the haloperidol-induced tardive dyskinesia, BP.IC

Abstract

Neuroinflammation process is characterized by interaction between neurons and cells ofimmune system, such as cytokines, chemokines, inflammatory cells, matrixmetalloproteinases (MMPs), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glial cells. This neuroimmune interaction is presents in Schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease (PD).Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder characterizedby loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra compacta (SNc) and theirterminals in the striatum. The degeneration of dopaminergic neurons occurs due a varietyof factors, such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, formation ofLewy bodies and the key event of neuroinflammation. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) namedexosomes have been implicated in oxidative tolerance and astrogliosis in distinctpathologic conditions. They participate in systemic signalling by mediating the specificexchange of biomolecules between cells. Considering the neuro-immune modulation asan essential mechanism for start and maintence of PD, the investigation of glialparticipation in this disorder through novel imaging techniques and the knowledge aboutexosomes-mediated neural and glial communication are powerful tools for advancedstudies in the area. In this sense, the general objectives of this proposal are: (1) Acquirehigh-resolution images with rich detail from basal ganglia region from parkinsonian rats;(2) Learn the Photon Laser Scanning Microscopy handling and (3) Learn the techniquesto determine the prevalence of exosome-mediated oligodendrocyte-neuroncommunication in different areas of the brain.