针刺干预对肌萎缩侧索硬化症模型小鼠脑及脊髓中IBA-1和TNF-α表达的影响

目的:探讨电针治疗肌萎缩侧索硬化症(ALS)的机制。方法:将SOD1^G93A转基因小鼠随机分为正常组、模型组、针刺组及利鲁唑治疗组,每组各8-10只。小鼠日龄30 d后,针刺组选取双侧天枢穴(ST25)及足三里穴(ST36)予以电针治疗。利鲁唑治疗组按照30 mg/(kg·d)的剂量予以90 d日龄小鼠灌胃治疗,1次/d。模型组及对照组常规饲养,不予干预。于小鼠电针治疗前及治疗后分别对4组进行体质量记录及行为学观察。采用免疫组化法检测各组小鼠脑干及脊髓中IBA-1和TNF-α表达变化。结果:正常组小鼠精神状态及运动功能良好,针刺组及利鲁唑组小鼠较模型组精神状态及运动功能明显改善; 转棒实验结果显示针刺组及利鲁唑组小鼠潜伏期较模型组延长; 免疫组化检测结果表明在模型组脑干IBA-1阳性细胞表达高于正常组(P<0.05); 而利鲁唑组IBA-1阳性细胞表达虽有降低,但组间无统计学差异(P>0.05)。该结果与IBA-1阳性细胞在脊髓L_4-5节段表达趋于一致(P<0.05)。针刺治疗后脊髓中促炎因子TNF-α表达明显减少(P<0.05),但利鲁唑组较模型组无统计学差异(P>0.05)。结论:电针治疗及利鲁唑灌胃治疗均可以改善小鼠运动功能及生存质量,但早期针刺干预明显减少脑干及脊髓中小胶质细胞的活化,抑制促炎因子TNF-α释放,表明电针治疗ALS有效,其机制可能与针刺抑制神经炎症产生有关。     

Production of nitrite by primary rat astrocytes in response to pneumococci

Recent studies using a rat model of pneumococcal meningitis have shown that nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors greatly attenuated microvascular changes and brain edema formation. The site of NO production during bacterial meningitis is unknown. In this study we tested whether primary astrocyte cultures from neonatal rat cortex can be induced to release NO upon stimulation with pneumococci. NO production was assessed by measuring nitrite in the cell culture supernatant using the Griess reaction. Stimulation with heat-killed unencapsulated pneumococci (HKP) increased nitrite concentrations in astrocyte culture supernatants in a dose-dependent fashion. Administration of AT-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA), aminoguanidine, L-canavanine, cycloheximide, and dexamethasone prevented the increase in nitrite concentrations. Addition of L-arginine, but not of o-arginine, partially reversed the inhibitory effect of L-NA. Administration of SOD increased nitrite accumulation. Moreover, at 72 h after stimulation with heat-killed pneumococci (10⁷ cfu/ml) astrocytes showed an inducible NOS-like immunoreactivity. Accumulation of nitrite was also observed when rat cerebellar neurons and microglia were stimulated with HKP, whereas there was only a slight increase of nitrite in media of rat C6 glioma cells, but no increase of nitrite when the human glioblastoma cell line LN-229 was stimulated with HKP. There was a stronger increase in nitrite levels when astrocytes from Lewis rats were used compared to that from Wistar rats. In conclusion, our study indicates that astrocytes, neurons and microglia are inducible for NO production upon stimulation with pneumococci.     

Ferritin immunohistochemistry as a marker for microglia

Summary An immunohistochemical analysis of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded brain sections was performed with antisera against holoferritin and the light(L)-subunit of ferritin. Sections immunostained using anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), Ricinus communis agglutinin-1 (RCA-1) stain for microglia and iron stain (Berlin blue stain) were compared. The L-subunit of ferritin was purified from normal human spleen according to the modified scrapie-associated fibrils purification, and the antiserum was raised in a rabbit. Both ferritin antisera positively stained resting and, more markedly, reactive microglia, both of which were also stained with RCA-1 but not with GFAP. Ferritin-positive resting microglia were seen more abundantly in cerebral and cerebellar cortices than in white matter. The advantages of ferritin antisera over RCA-1 are as follows. (1) RCA-1 heavily stains blood vessels, while anti-ferritin does not, hence the microglial cells are more readily visualized with ferritin immunohistochemistry. (2) Reactive microglia and macrophages are more strongly stained with anti-ferritin. (3) The staining intensity of ferritin is independent of the length of tissue fixation in formalin. However, anti-ferritin is inferior to RCA-1 in staining resting microglia with a scanty cytoplasm, especially in the white matter, probably because the former recognizes cytoplasmic components, while the latter recognizes cell membrane. Iron stain only gave a reaction to microglial cells in brains with neurosyphilis and to hemosiderin-laden macrophages. Thus, in addition to RCA-1, ferritin antisera are useful as a microglia marker in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections.Supported in part by Dr. A. Kondo, Department of Neuropathology, Neurological Institute, Kyushu University     

局灶脑缺血恢复期半影区小胶质细胞可塑性变化和bFGF表达规律探讨

目的 观察Wistar大鼠大脑中动脉永久性闭塞后不同时段，缺血半影区小胶质细胞和神经元形态学变化及bFGF在皮层和海马的表达规律。方法 将雄性Wistar大鼠48只，随机分为假手术对照组和永久性局灶性脑缺血组，后者再根据缺血时间不同分5个亚组。假手术组：仅暴露大脑中动脉，2h后断头取脑。永久性局灶性脑缺血组：建立大鼠大脑中动脉闭塞模型，分别于缺血后3d、7d、14d、28d、42d断头取脑，行HE和免疫组化染色。观察梗死灶周围半影区的小胶质细胞和神经元的形态学变化和bFGF在皮层及海马部位的表达规律。结果 HE染色可见脑缺血3d时半影区有少量小胶质细胞出现，14d小胶质细胞增多达高峰，42d趋于稳定。脑缺血3d梗死灶周围皮质神经元和胶质细胞开始表达bFGF，7d表达增强，14d达高峰，28d表达开始减弱，42d仍有一定表达，bFGF在海马的表达也有相同规律。结论 小胶质细胞的肥大和增生性变化以及bFGF的表达，不仅发生于脑缺血早期，晚期仍显示持续性变化，表明小胶质细胞活动以及bFGF的表达贯穿于脑缺血的整个病理过程。     

Localization and characterization of epidermal growth-factor receptors in the developing rat medial septal area in culture

The presence and binding properties of epidermal growth-factor receptors (EGF-Rs) in different cell types purified from the rat medial septal area in culture were investigated. We report that astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and neurons from this area possess EGF-Rs while microglia do not. EGF-binding sites are detectable on astrocytes derived from the medial septum of both embryonic and neonatal rats. Scatchard analysis of the data for astrocytes from the fetal rats show that EGF specifically binds to both high- (K_d = 7.21 × 10⁻¹⁰ M, B_max = 3602 receptors/cell) and low-affinity (K_d = 3.99 × 10⁻⁸ 10⁻⁸ M, B_max = 6,265 receptors/cell) receptors on these cells. On the other hand, astrocytes purified from neonatal tissue possess a greater number of high-affinity receptors (B_max = 10,938 receptors/cell) when compared with the embryonic astroglia. With time in culture, the number of both types of receptors on neonatal astrocytes decreases. Oligodendrocytes also possess high- and low-affinity EGF-Rs with dissociation constants of 3.25 × 10⁻¹⁰ M and 3.85 × 10⁻⁸ M, respectively. The number of receptors on oligodendrocytes is significantly lower than those on neonatal astrocytes (B_max = 1185 and 25,081 receptors/cell for high- and low-affinity binding sites, respectively). Finally, neurons from this area also exhibit two different EGF-R types with dissociation constants similar to those described for astrocytes. As the number of receptors/neuron (B_max = 136 and 1159 receptors/cell for high- and low-affinity binding sites, respectively) appears to be extremely low, it is possible that EGF specifically binds only to a subpopulation of neurons from this area. These studies demonstrate which cell types in the developing medial sepal area posses EGF-Rs and provide a detailed characterization of these binding sites. These EGF-R-bearing cells may be potential targets for this growth factor or for transforming growth factor α in this brain area.     

Absence of donor-type major histocompatibility complex class I antigen-bearing microglia in the rat central nervous system of radiation bone marrow chimeras

Localization of bone marrow-originated cells in the central nervous system (CNS) of the rat was investigated by using bone marrow chimeras. In order to do this, Lewis rats which carry major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigens haplotype 1 (RT1.Al) were reconstituted with (Lew X PVG)F1 (RT1.Al/c) bone marrow cells after lethal irradiation. Transferred bone marrow cells were detected by immunohistochemical staining using a monoclonal antibody, OX27, specific for haplotype c of rat MHC class I antigens (RT1.Ac). The spleen and thymus of chimeric rats were fully reconstituted with transferred F1 cells 4 weeks after bone marrow transplantation. At this stage, mononuclear cells in the subarachnoid space of the CNS expressed OX27 antigen indicating that they were of bone marrow origin. A few OX27-positive blood cells were scattered in the CNS parenchyma 4-12 weeks after reconstitution. Ramified microglia, however, remained OX27-negative. Bone marrow-derived microglia were not observed throughout the period of examination until 24 weeks. In addition, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced in chimeric rats in order to augment the expression of MHC class I antigens on microglia. Even under this condition, no OX27-positive microglia were observed. Taken together, ramified microglia might be of neuroectodermal origin and there is little possibility that the microglia are derived from the bone marrow. However, if the ramified microglia are derived from blood cells, the microglia may be expected to have characteristic cell kinetics from the following points: (1) the precursor cells of the microglia may enter the CNS only at the perinatal stage; and (2) even under the condition in which lymphocytes and macrophages enter the CNS as observed in EAE, the precursor cells of the microglia are not supplied from the blood.     

Astrocyte and microglial motility in vitro is functionally dependent on the hyaluronan receptor RHAMM

RHAMM (Receptor for Hyaluronic Acid Mediated Motility) has been identified as a receptor for the extracellular matrix component hyaluronan (HA) and was recently shown to be essential for the locomotion of normal and transformed peripheral cells. Until now the potential role of RHAMM in the motility of neural-derived cells has not been investigated. Here, we report that cultured primary astrocytes, astrocyte cell lines, and microglia express this receptor and exhibit RHAMM-dependent motility. Immunocytochemical localization of RHAMM showed that it was often present as aggregates at the periphery of cells in contact with one another or concentrated on protruding processes of isolated cells. Glial cells contained 50 and 72 kDa forms of RHAMM, and both of these forms were found to have HA binding capacity. Time lapse imaging of cell locomotion revealed a significant inhibition of motility and process elongation by neutralizing anti-RHAMM antibodies and by peptides corresponding to the HA binding domains of RHAMM. These results demonstrate that RHAMM serves a role in glial cell locomotion in vitro and provide the basis for investigations of the motile behavior of glial cells in vivo after CNS injury.     

Evidence that neurofibrillary tangles undergo glial modification

Summary Ghost tangles, neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) emerging into extracellular space, appear to be subjected to some microglial association in addition to an invasion of astrocytic processes. Our findings lead us to speculate that the NFTs undergo structural and immunocytochemical modification. Electron microscopic observation of the NFTs in the vascular region indicated either the discharge of NFTs into the vessel or formation of NFTs in the astrocytic end-foot.     

Ontogeny and cellular expression of MHC and leucocyte antigens in human retina

We have investigated the ontogeny of MHC class I, class II, CD45, and macrophage antigens in wholemounts of normal human fetal retina at 10–25 weeks gestation (WG) using monoclonal antibodies and immunogold histochemistry. MHC class I antigens were expressed on retinal vascular endothelial cells and provided a useful marker of vessel organization from 14–25 WG. Microglial cells expressed immunoreactivity to MHC class I, class II, and CD45 antigens from 10 WG (pre-vascularization) and macrophage S22 (Mac S22) antigen from 14 WG (post-vascularization), although none of the antigens tested were detected on neuronal or macroglial elements. Microglia expressing MHC, CD45, and macrophage antigens occurred in both ramified and rounded forms with no close correlation being observed between morphology and antigenicity. The numbers of immunoreactive cells labeled with each of the four markers increased steadily throughout gestation in all specimens studied. Equivalent numbers of microglia expressed MHC class I, class II, and CD45 antigens in retinae at similar gestational ages; however, our data indicate that microglia expressing Mac S22 antigen comprise approximately 40% or less of the population of MHC and CD45-immunoreactive cells during development. Topographical analyses suggest that MHC class I, class II, and CD45-positive microglia enter the retina from both the peripheral retinal margin and the optic disc from at least 10 WG; Mac S22-positive cells appear in association with the development of the retinal vasculature and enter the retina via the optic disc after 14 WG. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.