title: Antibiotics acting as neuroprotectants via mechanisms independent of their anti-infective activities.
abstract: This review considers available evidence that some antibiotics have ancillary neuroprotective effects. Notably, β-lactam antibiotics are believed to increase the expression of glutamate transporter GLT1, potentially relieving the neurological excitotoxicity that characterizes disorders like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Minocycline has shown promise in reducing the severity of a number of neurological diseases, including multiple sclerosis, most likely by reducing apoptosis and the expression of inflammatory mediators in the brain. Rapamycin inhibits the activity of a serine/threonine protein kinase that has a role in the pathogenesis of numerous neurologic diseases. Herein we examine the unique neuroprotective aspects of these drugs originally developed as anti-infective agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, 2028 VetMed, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Stock
authors.forename: Kara J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Fiedler
authors.forename: Sreemoyee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Acharya
authors.forename: Jennifer K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: Gregory S A
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Mlynarczyk
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Garrett R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.forename: Sri Harsha
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kanuri
authors.forename: Naveen C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Kondru
authors.forename: Matthew T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Brewer
authors.forename: Steve A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Carlson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008911:Minocycline / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047090:beta-Lactams / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D047090:beta-Lactams; D008911:Minocycline; D020123:Sirolimus
keywords: Antibacterial; Antifungal; Neuroprotection