Germinal matrix hemorrhage (GMH)-intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) occurs in thousands of premature infants and predisposes them to white matter injury and to the attendant neurologic dysfunctions-- cerebral palsy plus cognitive deficits. The most common white matter injury in these infants is """"""""hypomyelination and gliosis"""""""". Treatment and prevention of both the IVH and the resultant white matter damage is non-existent. Therefore, it is necessary to elucidate the mechanism of white matter injury associated with IVH and then to develop a therapeutic strategy either to prevent or minimize it. We have developed a model of IVH in which premature pups with IVH exhibit apoptosis and proliferation of pre-oligodendrocyte (pre-OL) with subsequent maturation-arrest in pre-OL stage, resulting in hypomyelination and gliosis. Oligodendrocyte (OL) development is regulated by transcription factors, including Olig-1, Olig-2, Mash 1, Id2, Id4, Nkx2.2 and Sox 10;and these factors are controlled by sonic hedgehog (Shh), Notch and Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling pathways. Notch and BMP overexpression promotes astrocytosis and inhibits OL development. Of note, suppression of BMP levels in animal models increases OL density;and Notch modulation improves the neurological recovery. Thyroid hormone is a key promoter of oligodendrogenesis and myelination. Accordingly, our experiments have revealed higher BMP-4 and Notch levels in the germinal matrix of premature subjects with IVH compared to non-IVH controls. More importantly, thyroxine treatment or BMP inhibition restored the density of myelinating (O1+) OL and myelination in IVH pups (Preliminary data). On this basis our overall hypotheses are that 1) IVH disturbs the OL development and affects the expression of transcription factors involved in OL specification and differentiation via BMP, Shh and Notch signaling, and that 2) the disturbed OL development, hypomyelination, gliosis and motor impairment in IVH can be restored by modulating BMP and Notch signaling or thyroxine treatment. Our approach is to use our rabbit pup model and autopsy materials from premature infants. The following specific aims will be addressed:
Aim # 1: Compare proliferation, maturation and apoptosis of cells of OL lineage in premature rabbit pups (E29) and human infants (23-35 weeks gestation) with IVH vs. without IVH.
Aim # 2: Determine temporal expression of transcription factors (Olig1, Olig2, Mash 1, Id2, Id4, Nkx2.2 and Sox 10) and the key signaling pathways (BMP, Shh and Notch) involved in OL specification and differentiation in the forebrain of the premature rabbit pups (E29) and human infants (23-35 weeks gestation) with IVH compared to non-IVH controls.
Aim # 3: Promote OL development and myelination to facilitate neurological recovery in premature pups with IVH by a) thyroxine treatment and by b) modulating BMP and Notch signaling pathways. Hence, the proposed study will elucidate the mechanism of white matter injury in IVH and may lead to novel strategies in prevention of cerebral palsy in premature infants.

Public Health Relevance

In the United States, about 12,240 premature infants develop bleeding in and around the ventricle (cavity) of the brain each year, which enhances the risk of white matter injuries and consequent cerebral palsy (weakness in extremities), and cognitive problems (writing and reading difficulties). In this proposal, we seek to determine the mechanism of brain injuries in these infants with hemorrhage that leads to impairment in walking, reading and writing. In addition, we will test therapeutic strategies that can minimize brain injuries in them. To address these issues, we will use prematurely delivered rabbit pups as an experimental animal and will also use autopsy materials from premature infants with and without brain hemorrhage.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS071263-02
Application #
8039179
Study Section
Developmental Brain Disorders Study Section (DBD)
Program Officer
Jacobs, Tom P
Project Start
2010-03-15
Project End
2014-02-28
Budget Start
2011-03-01
Budget End
2012-02-29
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$340,856
Indirect Cost
Name
New York Medical College
Department
Pediatrics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
041907486
City
Valhalla
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10595
Vinukonda, Govindaiah; Hu, Furong; Mehdizadeh, Rana et al. (2016) Epidermal growth factor preserves myelin and promotes astrogliosis after intraventricular hemorrhage. Glia 64:1987-2004
Arshad, Arslan; Vose, Linnea R; Vinukonda, Govindaiah et al. (2016) Extended Production of Cortical Interneurons into the Third Trimester of Human Gestation. Cereb Cortex 26:2242-2256
Vinukonda, Govindaiah; Dohare, Preeti; Arshad, Arslan et al. (2016) Hyaluronidase and Hyaluronan Oligosaccharides Promote Neurological Recovery after Intraventricular Hemorrhage. J Neurosci 36:872-89
Zia, Muhammad T K; Vinukonda, Govindaiah; Vose, Linnea R et al. (2015) Postnatal glucocorticoid-induced hypomyelination, gliosis, and neurologic deficits are dose-dependent, preparation-specific, and reversible. Exp Neurol 263:200-13
Vose, L R; Vinukonda, G; Diamond, D et al. (2014) Prenatal betamethasone does not affect glutamatergic or GABAergic neurogenesis in preterm newborns. Neuroscience 270:148-57
Ballabh, Praveen (2014) Pathogenesis and prevention of intraventricular hemorrhage. Clin Perinatol 41:47-67
Vinukonda, Govindaiah; Zia, Muhammad T; Bhimavarapu, Bala B R et al. (2013) Intraventricular hemorrhage induces deposition of proteoglycans in premature rabbits, but their in vivo degradation with chondroitinase does not restore myelination, ventricle size and neurological recovery. Exp Neurol 247:630-44
Malik, Sabrina; Vinukonda, Govindaiah; Vose, Linnea R et al. (2013) Neurogenesis continues in the third trimester of pregnancy and is suppressed by premature birth. J Neurosci 33:411-23
Vose, Linnea R; Vinukonda, Govindaiah; Jo, Sungro et al. (2013) Treatment with thyroxine restores myelination and clinical recovery after intraventricular hemorrhage. J Neurosci 33:17232-46
Vinukonda, Govindaiah; Hu, Furong; Upreti, Chirag et al. (2012) Novel organotypic in vitro slice culture model for intraventricular hemorrhage of premature infants. J Neurosci Res 90:2173-82

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