Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a devastating healthcare problem in the United States, however, there are currently no pharmacological treatments approved for the clinical treatment of this condition. Compelling experimental data demonstrates that mitochondrial dysfunction is a pivotal link in the neuropathological sequalae of brain injury. This proposal focuses on mild mitochondrial uncoupling as a novel therapeutic intervention following traumatic brain injury. The premise being that TBI-induced increases in mitochondrial Ca2+ cycling/overload ultimately lead to mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondrial uncouplers are compounds that facilitate the movement of protons from the mitochondrial inner-membrane space into the mitochondrial matrix. Uncoupling can also be mediated via the activation of endogenous mitochondrial uncoupling proteins (UCP) that can be modulated by fasting. While long-term, complete uncoupling of mitochondria would be detrimental, a transient or """"""""mild uncoupling"""""""", could confer neuroprotection. Mild uncoupling during the acute phases of TBI would be expected to reduce mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake (cycling) and ROS production. The proposed experiments are designed to test the novel hypothesis that mild mitochondrial uncoupling is neuroprotective following traumatic brain injury. Specifically we will determine 1) if mitochondrial uncouplers increase tissue sparing and improve behavioral outcome following TBI 2) if mitochondrial uncouplers maintain mitochondrial integrity and bioenergetics following TBI and 3) examine the mechanism(s) underlying the neuroprotection afforded by fasting following traumatic brain injury. The experiments will determine the optimal dose and time post-injury to administer uncouplers to afford optimal neuroprotection and reduce cognitive defects following a mild or severe TBI in rats. Next we will examine mitochondrial function following mild or severe TBI in rats to determine if mitochondrial uncouplers maintain mitochondrial integrity. Finally, using a reductionist approach, we will employ several strategies including the use of UCP-2 transgenic mice, insulin-induced hypoglycemia and ketone administration to determine specific mechanisms involved in fasting-mediated neuroprotection following TBI. The proposed experiments may pinpoint important mitochondrial events that could be potential novel targets for the treatment of TBI and perhaps, other acute neuronal injuries.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS048191-04
Application #
7204185
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-CDIN (01))
Program Officer
Hicks, Ramona R
Project Start
2004-02-01
Project End
2009-01-31
Budget Start
2007-02-01
Budget End
2008-01-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2007
Total Cost
$287,892
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Kentucky
Department
Anatomy/Cell Biology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
939017877
City
Lexington
State
KY
Country
United States
Zip Code
40506
Kim, Do Young; Simeone, Kristina A; Simeone, Timothy A et al. (2015) Ketone bodies mediate antiseizure effects through mitochondrial permeability transition. Ann Neurol 78:77-87
Yonutas, Heather M; Pandya, Jignesh D; Sullivan, Patrick G (2015) Changes in mitochondrial bioenergetics in the brain versus spinal cord become more apparent with age. J Bioenerg Biomembr 47:149-54
Pandya, Jignesh D; Grondin, Richard; Yonutas, Heather M et al. (2015) Decreased mitochondrial bioenergetics and calcium buffering capacity in the basal ganglia correlates with motor deficits in a nonhuman primate model of aging. Neurobiol Aging 36:1903-13
Sauerbeck, Andrew; Hunter, Randy; Bing, Guoying et al. (2012) Traumatic brain injury and trichloroethylene exposure interact and produce functional, histological, and mitochondrial deficits. Exp Neurol 234:85-94
Pandya, Jignesh D; Sullivan, Patrick G; Pettigrew, L Creed (2011) Focal cerebral ischemia and mitochondrial dysfunction in the TNFýý-transgenic rat. Brain Res 1384:151-60
Sauerbeck, Andrew; Gao, Jianxin; Readnower, Ryan et al. (2011) Pioglitazone attenuates mitochondrial dysfunction, cognitive impairment, cortical tissue loss, and inflammation following traumatic brain injury. Exp Neurol 227:128-35
Sauerbeck, Andrew; Pandya, Jignesh; Singh, Indrapal et al. (2011) Analysis of regional brain mitochondrial bioenergetics and susceptibility to mitochondrial inhibition utilizing a microplate based system. J Neurosci Methods 198:36-43
Sullivan, Patrick G; Sebastian, Andrea H; Hall, Edward D (2011) Therapeutic window analysis of the neuroprotective effects of cyclosporine A after traumatic brain injury. J Neurotrauma 28:311-8
Readnower, Ryan D; Pandya, Jignesh D; McEwen, Melanie L et al. (2011) Post-injury administration of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore inhibitor, NIM811, is neuroprotective and improves cognition after traumatic brain injury in rats. J Neurotrauma 28:1845-53
Blalock, Eric M; Grondin, Richard; Chen, Kuey-chu et al. (2010) Aging-related gene expression in hippocampus proper compared with dentate gyrus is selectively associated with metabolic syndrome variables in rhesus monkeys. J Neurosci 30:6058-71

Showing the most recent 10 out of 31 publications