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Marine Drugs
Special Issues
Marine Natural Products against Brain Diseases and Injuries
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Marine Natural Products against Brain Diseases and Injuries

A special issue of Marine Drugs (ISSN 1660-3397).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 28629

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. II Soo Moon

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Anatomy, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju 38066, Republic of Korea
Interests: protein structure and dynamics; protein conformational disorders; drug design; protein–protein interaction; neurodegenerative diseases; molecular modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Md. Abdul Hannan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh
Interests: bioactive natural products with neuroprotective potentials; molecular neuropharmacology; system pharmacology; functional foods; computational biology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bioactive natural products are promising for the development of novel therapeutic agents. Although terrestrial sources have always had priority over marine sources, the latter have recently received equal attention because of their highly diverse bioactive molecules with unique chemical structure and bioactivity. Marine lives, such as microoganisms, algae, fungi, sponge, cnidarins, molluscs, etc., are abundant in diverse molecules that are primarily synthesized to cope with various environmental stimuli. However, these bioactive compounds have shown numerous medicinal activities, including neuroprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and anti-proliferative properties. With the growing prevalence of oxidative stress- and inflammation-mediated chronic brain dieseases, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases, natural product researchers and drug designers have been focusing their attention on the discovery and development of novel therapeutic leads from marine natural products or their skeleton. Many of these compounds modulate various molecular targets of brain-specific biochemical and signaling pathways, suggesting their therapeutic significance in the management of neurodegenerative disorders, brain injuries and tumors.

This Special Issue will cover the isolation and characterization of novel compounds from marine organisms, the bioactivity of already known molecules, structure–activity relationship, and the mechanism of neuroprotection against various toxic insults representing in vitro and in vivo models of neurodegeneration, brain injury, and tumors. Both original research and review papers are welcome.

Prof. Dr. II Soo Moon
Prof. Dr. Abdul Hannan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Marine Drugs is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Marine organisms
  • Bioactive natural products
  • Structure–activity relationships
  • Pharmacological mechanism of action
  • Neuroprotection
  • Neurodegenrative disorders, ischemic stroke, and acute brain injury
  • Brain tumors

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 4345 KiB  
Article
Preparation and Neuroprotective Activity of Glucuronomannan Oligosaccharides in an MPTP-Induced Parkinson’s Model
by Yingjuan Liu, Weihua Jin, Zhenzhen Deng, Jing Wang and Quanbin Zhang
Mar. Drugs 2020, 18(9), 438; https://doi.org/10.3390/md18090438 - 23 Aug 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2720
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD), characterized by dopaminergic neuron degeneration in the substantia nigra and dopamine depletion in the striatum, affects up to 1% of the global population over 50 years of age. Our previous study found that a heteropolysaccharide from Saccharina japonica exhibits neuroprotective [...] Read more.
Parkinson’s disease (PD), characterized by dopaminergic neuron degeneration in the substantia nigra and dopamine depletion in the striatum, affects up to 1% of the global population over 50 years of age. Our previous study found that a heteropolysaccharide from Saccharina japonica exhibits neuroprotective effects through antioxidative stress. In view of its high molecular weight and complex structure, we degraded the polysaccharide and subsequently obtained four oligosaccharides. In this study, we aimed to further detect the neuroprotective mechanism of the oligosaccharides. We applied MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) to induce PD, and glucuronomannan oligosaccharides (GMn) was subsequently administered. Results showed that GMn ameliorated behavioral deficits in Parkinsonism mice. Furthermore, we observed that glucuronomannan oligosaccharides contributed to down-regulating the apoptotic signaling pathway through enhancing the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in dopaminergic neurons. These results suggest that glucuronomannan oligosaccharides protect dopaminergic neurons from apoptosis in PD mice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Natural Products against Brain Diseases and Injuries)
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17 pages, 6136 KiB  
Article
Epicortical Brevetoxin Treatment Promotes Neural Repair and Functional Recovery after Ischemic Stroke
by Erica Sequeira, Marsha L. Pierce, Dina Akasheh, Stacey Sellers, William H. Gerwick, Daniel G. Baden and Thomas F. Murray
Mar. Drugs 2020, 18(7), 374; https://doi.org/10.3390/md18070374 - 21 Jul 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4202
Abstract
Emerging literature suggests that after a stroke, the peri-infarct region exhibits dynamic changes in excitability. In rodent stroke models, treatments that enhance excitability in the peri-infarct cerebral cortex promote motor recovery. This increase in cortical excitability and plasticity is opposed by increases in [...] Read more.
Emerging literature suggests that after a stroke, the peri-infarct region exhibits dynamic changes in excitability. In rodent stroke models, treatments that enhance excitability in the peri-infarct cerebral cortex promote motor recovery. This increase in cortical excitability and plasticity is opposed by increases in tonic GABAergic inhibition in the peri-infarct zone beginning three days after a stroke in a mouse model. Maintenance of a favorable excitatory–inhibitory balance promoting cerebrocortical excitability could potentially improve recovery. Brevetoxin-2 (PbTx-2) is a voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) gating modifier that increases intracellular sodium ([Na+]i), upregulates N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) channel activity and engages downstream calcium (Ca2+) signaling pathways. In immature cerebrocortical neurons, PbTx-2 promoted neuronal structural plasticity by increasing neurite outgrowth, dendritogenesis and synaptogenesis. We hypothesized that PbTx-2 may promote excitability and structural remodeling in the peri-infarct region, leading to improved functional outcomes following a stroke. We tested this hypothesis using epicortical application of PbTx-2 after a photothrombotic stroke in mice. We show that PbTx-2 enhanced the dendritic arborization and synapse density of cortical layer V pyramidal neurons in the peri-infarct cortex. PbTx-2 also produced a robust improvement of motor recovery. These results suggest a novel pharmacologic approach to mimic activity-dependent recovery from stroke. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Natural Products against Brain Diseases and Injuries)
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12 pages, 2770 KiB  
Article
Neuroprotective Effect of Carotenoid-Rich Enteromorpha prolifera Extract via TrkB/Akt Pathway against Oxidative Stress in Hippocampal Neuronal Cells
by Seung Yeon Baek and Mee Ree Kim
Mar. Drugs 2020, 18(7), 372; https://doi.org/10.3390/md18070372 - 19 Jul 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3598
Abstract
In this study, we found that E. prolifera extract (EAEP) exhibits neuroprotective effects in oxidative stress-induced neuronal cells. EAEP improved cell viability as well as attenuated the formation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptotic bodies in glutamate-treated hippocampal neuronal cells (HT-22). [...] Read more.
In this study, we found that E. prolifera extract (EAEP) exhibits neuroprotective effects in oxidative stress-induced neuronal cells. EAEP improved cell viability as well as attenuated the formation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptotic bodies in glutamate-treated hippocampal neuronal cells (HT-22). Furthermore, EAEP improved the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and antioxidant enzymes such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H quinine oxidoreductase-1 (NQO-1), and glutamate–cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) via the tropomyosin-related kinase receptor B/ protein kinase B (TrkB/Akt) signaling pathway. In contrast, the pre-incubation of K252a, a TrkB inhibitor, or MK-2206, an Akt-selective inhibitor, ameliorated the neuroprotective effects of EAEP in oxidative stress-induced neuronal cells. These results suggest that EAEP protects neuronal cells against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis by upregulating the expression of BDNF and antioxidant enzymes via the activation of the TrkB/Akt pathway. In conclusion, such an effect of EAEP, which is rich in carotenoid-derived compounds, may justify its application as a food supplement in the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Natural Products against Brain Diseases and Injuries)
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Review

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23 pages, 1935 KiB  
Review
Benefits under the Sea: The Role of Marine Compounds in Neurodegenerative Disorders
by Mariano Catanesi, Giulia Caioni, Vanessa Castelli, Elisabetta Benedetti, Michele d’Angelo and Annamaria Cimini
Mar. Drugs 2021, 19(1), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/md19010024 - 8 Jan 2021
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 6850
Abstract
Marine habitats offer a rich reservoir of new bioactive compounds with great pharmaceutical potential; the variety of these molecules is unique, and its production is favored by the chemical and physical conditions of the sea. It is known that marine organisms can synthesize [...] Read more.
Marine habitats offer a rich reservoir of new bioactive compounds with great pharmaceutical potential; the variety of these molecules is unique, and its production is favored by the chemical and physical conditions of the sea. It is known that marine organisms can synthesize bioactive molecules to survive from atypical environmental conditions, such as oxidative stress, photodynamic damage, and extreme temperature. Recent evidence proposed a beneficial role of these compounds for human health. In particular, xanthines, bryostatin, and 11-dehydrosinulariolide displayed encouraging neuroprotective effects in neurodegenerative disorders. This review will focus on the most promising marine drugs’ neuroprotective potential for neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. We will describe these marine compounds’ potential as adjuvant therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, based on their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Natural Products against Brain Diseases and Injuries)
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50 pages, 3938 KiB  
Review
Neuroprotective Potentials of Marine Algae and Their Bioactive Metabolites: Pharmacological Insights and Therapeutic Advances
by Md. Abdul Hannan, Raju Dash, Md. Nazmul Haque, Md. Mohibbullah, Abdullah Al Mamun Sohag, Md. Ataur Rahman, Md Jamal Uddin, Mahboob Alam and Il Soo Moon
Mar. Drugs 2020, 18(7), 347; https://doi.org/10.3390/md18070347 - 1 Jul 2020
Cited by 70 | Viewed by 10319
Abstract
Beyond their significant contribution to the dietary and industrial supplies, marine algae are considered to be a potential source of some unique metabolites with diverse health benefits. The pharmacological properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cholesterol homeostasis, protein clearance and anti-amyloidogenic potentials of algal [...] Read more.
Beyond their significant contribution to the dietary and industrial supplies, marine algae are considered to be a potential source of some unique metabolites with diverse health benefits. The pharmacological properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cholesterol homeostasis, protein clearance and anti-amyloidogenic potentials of algal metabolites endorse their protective efficacy against oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and impaired proteostasis which are known to be implicated in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders and the associated complications after cerebral ischemia and brain injuries. As was evident in various preclinical studies, algal compounds conferred neuroprotection against a wide range of neurotoxic stressors, such as oxygen/glucose deprivation, hydrogen peroxide, glutamate, amyloid β, or 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) and, therefore, hold therapeutic promise for brain disorders. While a significant number of algal compounds with promising neuroprotective capacity have been identified over the last decades, a few of them have had access to clinical trials. However, the recent approval of an algal oligosaccharide, sodium oligomannate, for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease enlightened the future of marine algae-based drug discovery. In this review, we briefly outline the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases and brain injuries for identifying the targets of pharmacological intervention, and then review the literature on the neuroprotective potentials of algal compounds along with the underlying pharmacological mechanism, and present an appraisal on the recent therapeutic advances. We also propose a rational strategy to facilitate algal metabolites-based drug development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Natural Products against Brain Diseases and Injuries)
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