Kirstin M. Reed

Chronic sleep disturbances (CSDs) including insomnia, insufficient sleep time, and poor sleep quality are major public health concerns around the world, especially in developed countries. CSDs are major health risk factors linked to multiple neurodegenerative and neuropsychological diseases. It has been suggested that CSDs could activate microglia (Mg) leading to increased neuroinflammation levels, which ultimately lead to neuronal dysfunction. However, the detailed mechanisms underlying CSD-mediated microglial activation remain mostly unexplored. In this study, we used mice with three-weeks of sleep fragmentation (SF) to explore the underlying pathways responsible for Mg activation. Our results revealed that SF activates Mg in the hippocampus (HP) but not in the striatum and prefrontal cortex (PFc). SF increased the levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) in the HP. In vitro mechanism studies revealed that CRH activation of Mg involves galectin 3 (Gal3) upregulation and autophagy dysregulation. CRH could disrupt lysosome membrane integrity resulting in lysosomal cathepsins leakage. CRHR2 blockage mitigated CRH-mediated effects on microglia in vitro. SF mice also show increased Gal3 levels and autophagy dysregulation in the HP compared to controls. Taken together, our results show that SF-mediated hippocampal Mg activation involves CRH mediated galectin 3 and autophagy dysregulation. These findings suggest that targeting the hippocampal CRH system might be a novel therapeutic approach to ameliorate CSD-mediated neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative diseases.

Sleep disorders have high comorbidity with drug addiction and function as major risk factors for developing drug addiction. Recent studies have indicated that both sleep disturbance (SD) and abused drugs could activate microglia, and that increased neuroinflammation plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of both diseases. Whether microglia are involved in the contribution of chronic SDs to drug addiction has never been explored. In this study, we employed a mouse model of sleep fragmentation (SF) with cocaine treatment and examined their locomotor activities, as well as neuroinflammation levels and dopamine signaling in the striatum, to assess their interaction. We also included mice with, or without, SF that underwent cocaine withdrawal and challenge. Our results showed that SF significantly blunted cocaine-induced locomotor stimulation while having marginal effects on locomotor activity of mice with saline injections. Meanwhile, SF modulated the effects of cocaine on neuroimmune signaling in the striatum and in ex vivo isolated microglia. We did not observe differences in dopamine signaling in the striatum among treatment groups. In mice exposed to cocaine and later withdrawal, SF reduced locomotor sensitivity and also modulated neuroimmune and dopamine signaling in the striatum. Taken together, our results suggested that SF was capable of blunting cocaine-induced psychoactive effects through modulating neuroimmune and dopamine signaling. We hypothesize that SF could affect neuroimmune and dopamine signaling in the brain reward circuitry, which might mediate the linkage between sleep disorders and drug addiction.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a prevalent human pathogen primarily transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, especially on and around mucosal surfaces where there is contact with contaminated saliva during periods of viral shedding. It is estimated that 90% of adults worldwide have HSV-1 antibodies. Cutaneous HSV-1 infections are characterized by a sensation of tingling or numbness at the initial infection site followed by an eruption of vesicles and then painful ulcers with crusting. These symptoms can take ten days to several weeks to heal, leading to significant morbidity. Histologically, infections cause ballooning degeneration of keratinocytes and formation of multinucleated giant cells, ultimately resulting in a localized immune response. Commonly prescribed treatments against HSV-1 infections are nucleoside analogs, such as acyclovir (ACV). However, the emergence of ACV-resistant HSV (ACV^R-HSV) clinical isolates has created an urgent need for the development of compounds to control symptoms of cutaneous infections. RLS-0071, also known as peptide inhibitor of complement C1 (PIC1), is a 15-amino-acid anti-inflammatory peptide that inhibits classical complement pathway activation and modulates neutrophil activation. It has been previously shown to aid in the healing of chronic diabetic wounds by inhibiting the excessive activation of complement component C1 and infiltration of leukocytes. Here, we report that treatment of cutaneous infections of HSV-1 and ACV^R-HSV-1 in BALB/cJ mice with RLS-0071 significantly reduced the rate of mortality, decreased zosteriform spread, and enhanced the healing of the infection-associated lesions compared to control-treated animals. Therefore, RLS-0071 may work synergistically with other antiviral drugs to aid in wound healing of HSV-1 cutaneous infection and may potentially aid in rapid wound healing of other pathology not limited to HSV-1.

The human immune system boasts a diverse array of strategies for recognizing and eradicating invading pathogens. Human betaherpesviruses, a highly prevalent subfamily of viruses, include human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), human herpesvirus (HHV) 6A, HHV-6B, and HHV-7. These viruses have evolved numerous mechanisms for evading the host response. In this review, we will highlight the complex interplay between betaherpesviruses and the human immune response, focusing on protein function. We will explore methods by which the immune system first responds to betaherpesvirus infection as well as mechanisms by which viruses subvert normal cellular functions to evade the immune system and facilitate viral latency, persistence, and reactivation. Lastly, we will briefly discuss recent advances in vaccine technology targeting betaherpesviruses. This review aims to further elucidate the dynamic interactions between betaherpesviruses and the human immune system.