Featured Publications
Impact of Stress on Epilepsy: Focus on Neuroinflammation—A Mini Review
Espinosa-Garcia C, Zeleke H, Rojas A. Impact of Stress on Epilepsy: Focus on Neuroinflammation—A Mini Review. International Journal Of Molecular Sciences 2021, 22: 4061. PMID: 33920037, PMCID: PMC8071059, DOI: 10.3390/ijms22084061.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsImpact of stressChronic stressPsychiatric comorbidityPsychiatric comorbiditiesStressor durationDepressive stateAcute stressPoor quality of lifeBrain damageSeizure occurrencePreclinical researchSeizure triggersOutcome severityDisordersEpilepsy outcomeEpilepsy patientsRecurrent seizuresEpilepsyNeurological disordersQuality of lifeSeizuresDeleterious impactDepressionComorbidity
2022
Preclinical development of an EP2 antagonist for post-seizure cognitive deficits
Varvel N, Amaradhi R, Espinosa-Garcia C, Duddy S, Franklin R, Banik A, Alemán-Ruiz C, Blackmer-Raynolds L, Wang W, Honore T, Ganesh T, Dingledine R. Preclinical development of an EP2 antagonist for post-seizure cognitive deficits. Neuropharmacology 2022, 224: 109356. PMID: 36460083, PMCID: PMC9894535, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109356.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCognitive deficitsStatus epilepticusY-maze performanceInvestigational new drugEP2 antagonistComorbidities of epilepsyReduced delayed mortalityY-mazeCognitive comorbiditiesBlood-brain barrier leakageDays of oral administrationCOX-2 inductionSigns of toxicityDeficitsIn vitro studiesEP2 receptorReceptor modulatorsDose linearityProstaglandin E2Neuronal injuryPreclinical developmentOral administrationPreventive treatmentHistopathological signsCyclooxygenase-2
2020
Stroke-Induced Peripheral Immune Dysfunction in Vitamin D–Deficient Conditions: Modulation by Progesterone and Vitamin D
Yousuf S, Atif F, Espinosa-Garcia C, Harris W, Turan N, Stein D. Stroke-Induced Peripheral Immune Dysfunction in Vitamin D–Deficient Conditions: Modulation by Progesterone and Vitamin D. Molecular Neurobiology 2020, 58: 950-963. PMID: 33063282, DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02129-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsApoptosisAstrocytesBehavior, AnimalBiomarkersCyclooxygenase 2Endoplasmic Reticulum StressHand StrengthInflammationInflammation MediatorsInterleukin-6LipopolysaccharidesMaleMyelin Basic ProteinNeuronsNitric Oxide Synthase Type IIProgesteroneRatsRats, Sprague-DawleyReactive Oxygen SpeciesReproducibility of ResultsSpleenStrokeThymus GlandTranscription Factor CHOPVitamin DVitamin D DeficiencyWhite MatterConceptsPeripheral immune dysfunctionSystemic inflammationImmune dysfunctionCombined treatmentLipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced systemic inflammationVitamin D. Vitamin D deficiencyImmune cell populationsAdministration of progesteroneVitamin D-deficient conditionDelayed functional recoveryD sufficiencyD deficiencyEndoplasmic reticulum stressTreated with PVitamin DWhite matter integrityComorbid conditionsDay 4Improve outcomesFunctional recoveryAltered outcomesInflammationNeuronal inflammationCell populationsReticulum stressPost-ischemic stroke systemic inflammation: Immunomodulation by progesterone and vitamin D hormone
Atif F, Yousuf S, Espinosa-Garcia C, Harris W, Stein D. Post-ischemic stroke systemic inflammation: Immunomodulation by progesterone and vitamin D hormone. Neuropharmacology 2020, 181: 108327. PMID: 32950558, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108327.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPeripheral immune dysfunctionVitamin D hormoneTransient middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusionImmune dysfunctionSystemic inflammationInfarct volumeSubsets of immune cellsNeuronal inflammationMeasure infarct volumePost-stroke infectionsInjection of lipopolysaccharideIn-hospital infectionStandard of careFlow cytometric analysisMiddle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusionCleaved caspase-3Combination therapyInflammation groupImmune cellsAdult ratsIncreased morbidityD hormoneBrain post-strokeImmunomodulatory effectsCombined treatment