Endothelial lipopigment as an indicator of α-tocopherol deficiency in two equine neurodegenerative diseases

Two spontaneous neurodegenerative diseases of the horse, equine motor neuron disease (EMND) and equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (EDM), have been associated with -tocopherol deficiency, and both were characterized by prominent accumulations of endothelial lipopigment in the small vessels of the spinal cord. These endothelial pigment deposits appear to be reversible. In EMND horses pasture-supplemented for 9 months or more after the progression of weakness and wasting had arrested, there was very little endothelial lipopigment. The origin and the potential effects of these endothelial lipopigment accumulations are discussed.     

Motor neuron disease with neurofibrillary tangles in a non-Guamanian patient

Neurofibrillary tangles are described in Guamanian and post-encephalitic forms of motor neuron discase (MND) but not in sporadic MND. We report the neuropathological findings in a 79-year-old man who died after a 1-year history of MND without extrapyramidal features or dementia. There was no family history of neurological disease and he had not visited Guam. The spinal cord showed loss of anterior horn cells, and skeletal muscle typical changes of denervation. The brain appeared macroscopically normal but histology revealed many neurofibrillary tangles, particularly in medial temporal lobe structures, insula, nucleus basalis, hippocampus, oculomotor nucleus, raphe nuclei and locus ceruleus. Neurofibrillary tangles were not seen in the primary motor cortex, which appeared histologically unremarkable. Occasional tangles were present in the substantia nigra and pontine nuclei. None were seen in the cerebellum, medulla or spinal cord. The tangles were argyrophilic, and, in sections stained with thioflavin-S, both the intracellular and the extracellular tangles fluoresced strongly under ultraviolet light. The intracellular neurofibrillary tangles reacted strongly with an antibody to tau protein, and only occasional tangles showed weak ubiquitin immunoreactivity. Scattered neuropil threads were present in the cortex in the areas of neurofibrillary tangle formation. No plaques were present in any part of the brain and no A4/ protein immunoreactivity was detected. Ultrastructural examination revealed Alzheimer-type neurofibrillary tangles composed of paired helical filaments. The present findings further extend the spectrum of diverse neurological disorders associated with neurofibrillary tangles.     

Synaptic organization of excitatory and inhibitory boutons associated with spinal neurons which project through the dorsal columns of the cat

The cell bodies and proximal dendrites of postsynaptic dorsal column neurons were examined for synaptic boutons which displayed immunoreactivity for the principal excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters, glutamate and GABA. The neurons were labelled by retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase and GABA or glutamate-containing boutons were revealed by performing postembedding immunogold reactions on electron microscope sections. Five neurons were examined and all of them were postsynaptic to boutons which contained either GABA or glutamate. Quantitative analysis of two of the cells revealed that more than 90% of the synaptic profiles associated with them displayed immunogold reactions for these transmitters. Analysis of series of alternate sections, which were reacted for either GABA or glutamate, showed that there was no overlap in the populations of immunoreactive boutons. Furthermore, GABA and glutamate immunoreactions were associated with boutons which had different morphological characteristics. In addition, some large glutamate-enriched boutons were postsynaptic to small boutons which displayed immunogold reactions for GABA. This study demonstrates morphological bases for direct excitation, postsynaptic inhibition and presynaptic inhibition of postsynaptic dorsal column cells.     

高晶体-高胶体渗透压溶液对受机械性损伤的海马神经细胞容积的影响

观察机械性损伤的海马神经细胞在不同浓度高晶体－ 高胶体渗透压溶液中容积的变化。取原代培养大白鼠胚胎的海马神经细胞,用超声波机械损伤细胞后暴露于含０．５ ｇ／Ｌ、１ ｇ／Ｌ和２．５ ｇ／Ｌ氯化钠的细胞培养基中１５ ｍ ｉｎ。结果显示机械性损伤的细胞明显肿胀（Ｐ＜ ０．０５）。当细胞暴露于不同浓度的高晶体－ 高胶体溶液１５ ｍ ｉｎ 后, 细胞容积与同一实验时间的对照值相比明显下降, 并保持至第７ ｄ （Ｐ＜ ０．０５）。表明受到机械性损伤的海马神经细胞在高晶体－ 高胶体渗透压环境中的容积调节功能丧失或减弱。     

Chronic ethanol treatment alters AMPA-induced calcium signals in developing Purkinje neurons

Cerebellar Purkinje neurons developing in culture were treated chronically with 30 mM (140 mg%; 3-11 days in vitro) ethanol to study the actions of prolonged ethanol exposure on responses to exogenous application of AMPA, a selective agonist at the AMPA subtype of ionotropic glutamate receptors. There was no consistent difference between control and chronic ethanol-treated neurons in resting membrane potential, input resistance, or the amplitude or duration of the membrane responses to AMPA (1 or 5 microM applied by brief microperfusion) as measured using the nystatin patch method of whole cell recording. In additional studies, the Ca2+ signal to AMPA was examined using the Ca2+ sensitive dye fura-2. The mean peak Ca2+ signal elicited by 5 microM AMPA was enhanced in the dendritic region (but not the somatic region) of chronic ethanol-treated Purkinje neurons compared to control neurons. In contrast, there was no difference between control and chronic ethanol-treated neurons in the peak amplitude of the Ca2+ signal to 1 microM AMPA, whereas the recovery of the Ca2+ signals was more rapid in both somatic and dendritic regions of ethanol-treated neurons. Resting Ca2+ levels in the somatic and dendritic regions were similar between control and ethanol-treated neurons. These data show that the membrane and Ca2+ responses to AMPA in Purkinje neurons are differentially affected by prolonged ethanol exposure during development. Moreover, chronic ethanol exposure produces a selective enhancement of AMPA-evoked dendritic Ca2+ signals under conditions reflecting intense activation (i.e., 5 microM AMPA), whereas both somatic and dendritic Ca2+ signals are attenuated with smaller levels of activation (i.e., 1 microM AMPA). Because Ca2+ is an important regulator of numerous intracellular functions, chronic ethanol exposure during development could produce widespread changes in the development and function of the cerebellum.     

氯化甲基汞对大鼠脑神经细胞凋亡及P^53基因表达的影响

选用Ｗｉｓｔａｒ系雄性大鼠,经皮下注射给予１０ｍｇ／Ｋｇ体重氯化甲基汞（ＣＨ３ＨｇＣｌ）,连续７天,第１５天取其脑组织,利用细胞和分子生物学技术进行ＤＮＡ电泳和流式细胞术（ＦＣＭ）分析。实验结果,染毒组大鼠脑组织ＤＮＡ电泳呈现特征性梯形电泳带;ＦＣＭ分析染毒组大鼠脑神经细胞的凋亡率、Ｐ５３基因表达率显著高于对照组（Ｐ＜０．０５）。结果表明：ＣＨ３ＨｇＣｌ以诱导凋亡方式导致脑神经细胞损伤,Ｐ５３基因参与ＣＨ３ＨｇＣｌ诱导脑神经细胞凋亡的基因调控过程。     

Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells into Neurons and Retina—like Structure in Nude Mice

Purpose: To investigate the intraocular growth and biological characteristics of mice embryonic stem cells in nude mice.Methods: Murine embryonic stem cells (D3 cell line) were cultured and maintained in an undifferentiated state in vitro, then transplanted into the anterior chamber of nude mice. Mophological and immunohistochemical examinations were implemented. Results: Two to three days after transplantation, yellow-white floating granules, sheets and masses were seen inside the anterior chamber and vitreous cavity, and enlarged gradually. 14 - 20 days later, the mice were executed. Morphological examination showed that there were undifferentiated cells and some round or polygonal differentiated cells in anterior chamber and vitreous cavity. The morphology of these differentiated cells were similar to that of the retina. The cells were highly positive in NSE staining. Conclusion: The tranplanted embryonic stem cells could grow in the eyes of nude mice with tendency to differentiate into neurons and r     

The presence of glutathione in primary neuronal and astroglial cultures from rat cerebral cortex and brain stem

Summary The concentration of the tripeptide glutathione (GSH) was measured in primary cultures of neurons and astroglial cells from rat cerebral cortex and brain stem. The concentration of GSH was found to be approximately 20 nmol/ mg protein in the neuronal culture from the cerebral cortex and ca. 40 nmol/ mg protein in the neuronal brain stem cultures. A GSH concentration of approximately 20 nmol/mg was observed in the astrocyte cultures from both brain regions. The possibility to increase the GSH concentration was tested by incubating the cultures in the presence of the GSH precursor -glutamylcysteine (-GC). In the cultured astrocytes -GC produced a dose-dependent increase in GSH. A similar increase was observed in the neuronal cultures, but this effect failed to reach statistical significance.     

Divalent Cations Modulate the Inhibitory Substrate Properties of Murine Glia-derived J1-160 and J1-180 Extracellular Matrix Glycoproteins for Neuronal Adhesion

J1-160 and J1-180 are developmentally late appearing J1 extracellular matrix glycoproteins derived from oligodendrocytes. They prevent adhesion of neurons (but not of astrocytes or fibroblasts) when offered as a substrate in mixture with laminin (Pesheva et al., J. Cell Biol., 109, 1765 - 1778, 1989). In the present study we have examined the influence of divalent cations on the inhibitory substrate properties of J1-160/180 glycoproteins towards adhesion of neurons. By metal chelate affinity chromatography, we show that J1-180, but not J1-160, binds Ca2+, while both J1 components are capable of binding Zn2+ and other divalent metal ions. Divalent cation binding was observed by gel filtration, aggregation assays with coated latex beads and electron microscopic examination to elicit aggregation of the molecules. Divalent cation binding also affects their non-permissive substrate properties towards neurons from early postnatal mouse cerebellum. Without divalent cations, J1-160 and J1-180 are inhibitory for substrate adhesion of neurons independently of the adhesive substrate present (laminin or poly-l-lysine). This effect is neutralized when J1-180 is preincubated with Ca2+ or Zn2+ prior to coating as substrate. In contrast, preincubation with Ca2+ ions does not affect the inhibitory substrate properties of J1-160 under these conditions. These observations show that J1-160/180 molecules may undergo self-aggregation in a divalent cation-dependent mechanism, which correlates with the neutralization of their inhibitory effect on neuronal adhesion. The aggregation state of the molecules may thus influence the process of myelination by a homophilic binding mechanism and determine the effectiveness of neurite extension during central nervous system development and under traumatic conditions in the adult.     

马桑内酯对培养的大脑皮层神经元单细胞游离钙的作用机制

目的：探讨马桑内酯致神经元损伤机制及与胞内游离钙的关系。方法：利用低密度培养的大鼠大脑皮层神经元和AR—CM—MIC离子检测系统，观察马桑内酯对神经元单细胞钙的作用及途径。结果：马桑内酯使大脑皮层神经元胞内游离钙升高，曲线可分为上升相和维持相，马桑内酯重复作用后神经元胞内高钙水平恢复到基础水平的时间延长，电压依赖性钙通道阻滞剂维拉帕米可明显阻断马桑内酯的升钙作用，而受体门控钙通道阻滞剂AP5的阻断作用不明显。结论：马桑内酯主要通过电压依赖性钙通道致神经元胞内游离钙升高，重复作用后胞内高钙水平的维持时间延长。