Wei Zhang

Leptin, a hormone secreted from adipose tissue, was originally discovered to regulate body weight. The localization of the leptin receptor in limbic structures suggests a potential role for leptin in emotional processes. Here, we show that rats exposed to chronic unpredictable stress and chronic social defeat exhibit low leptin levels in plasma. Systemic leptin treatment reversed the hedonic-like deficit induced by chronic unpredictable stress and improved behavioral despair dose-dependently in the forced swim test (FST), a model widely used for screening potential antidepressant efficacy. The behavioral effects of leptin in the FST were accompanied by increased neuronal activation in limbic structures, particularly in the hippocampus. Intrahippocampal infusion of leptin produced a similar antidepressant-like effect in the FST as its systemic administration. By contrast, infusion of leptin into the hypothalamus decreased body weight but had no effect on FST behavior. These findings suggest that: ( i ) impaired leptin production and secretion may contribute to chronic stress-induced depression-like phenotypes, ( ii ) the hippocampus is a brain site mediating leptin's antidepressant-like activity, and ( iii ) elevating leptin signaling in brain may represent a novel approach for the treatment of depressive disorders.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most lethal primary brain tumor and is highly resistant to current treatments. GBM harbors glioma stem cells (GSCs) that not only initiate and maintain malignant growth but also promote therapeutic resistance including radioresistance. Thus, targeting GSCs is critical for overcoming the resistance to improve GBM treatment. Because the bone marrow and X-linked (BMX) nonreceptor tyrosine kinase is preferentially up-regulated in GSCs relative to nonstem tumor cells and the BMX-mediated activation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is required for maintaining GSC self-renewal and tumorigenic potential, pharmacological inhibition of BMX may suppress GBM growth and reduce therapeutic resistance. We demonstrate that BMX inhibition by ibrutinib potently disrupts GSCs, suppresses GBM malignant growth, and effectively combines with radiotherapy. Ibrutinib markedly disrupts the BMX-mediated STAT3 activation in GSCs but shows minimal effect on neural progenitor cells (NPCs) lacking BMX expression. Mechanistically, BMX bypasses the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3)-mediated inhibition of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), whereas NPCs dampen the JAK2-mediated STAT3 activation via the negative regulation by SOCS3, providing a molecular basis for targeting BMX by ibrutinib to specifically eliminate GSCs while preserving NPCs. Our preclinical data suggest that repurposing ibrutinib for targeting GSCs could effectively control GBM tumor growth both as monotherapy and as adjuvant with conventional therapies.