低剂量他克莫司治疗大鼠急性脊髓损伤的实验研究

目的：探讨低剂量他克莫司（tacrolimus，又名FK506）对大鼠急性脊髓损伤是否具有神经保护作用。方法：雄性Wistar大鼠72只，随机分为假手术组（12只）、损伤组（30只）和FK506治疗组（30只）。采用Allen’s打击法致伤大鼠T10脊髓，假手术组仅做椎板切除术。FK506治疗组在脊髓损伤后5min一次性经尾静脉注射FK5060．3mg／kg，其余两组以相同方法给予等量生理盐水。致伤后30min、6h、24h、48h、72h取伤段脊髓组织行病理观察及原位末端标记法（TUNEL）检测神经细胞凋亡，伤后1、3、7、14、21d行脊髓功能BBB评分和斜板实验。结果：伤后3、7、14、21d，FK506治疗组斜板实验和BBB评分明显优于损伤组，两组间比较差异有显著性（P〈0．05）；伤后各时间点FK506治疗组脊髓损伤区出血坏死较损伤组轻；伤后6、24、48、72h神经细胞凋亡FK506治疗组较损伤组明显减少，两组间比较差异有显著性（P〈0．05）。结论：在大鼠急性脊髓损伤后早期应用低剂量他克莫司（0．3mg/kg）治疗对神经具有保护作用，可减少神经细胞凋亡，减轻脊髓继发性损伤，促进脊髓功能恢复。     

茶氨酸对脑缺血再灌注损伤保护作用的实验研究

目的观察茶氨酸对脑缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用,为临床脑缺血再灌注损伤的预防和治疗提供实验依据。方法将24只健康家兔随机分为四组：假手术组、脑缺血组、茶氨酸予处理组和茶氨酸治疗组。麻醉后分离血管,采用基底动脉、双侧颈总动脉结扎法制备急性全脑缺血再灌注动物模型。假手术组仅分离动脉不结扎,予处理组在缺血前应用茶氨酸,治疗组在缺血后应用茶氨酸,缺血组不作特殊药物处理。各组分别在规定时间点即缺血前、再灌注后30min、1h、2h采血测定神经特异性烯醇化酶(NSE)含量,取脑组织活检观察超微结构,处死动物测定脑含水量。结果茶氨酸予处理组和治疗组以上各项指标均较脑缺血组有显著的改善,提示茶氨酸具有神经保护作用。实验还显示茶氨酸予处理组在再灌注30min时NSE含量与假手术组比较无差异,提示用茶氨酸予处理后可能使缺血后脑损害的发生延迟,为进一步的治疗争取了宝贵时间。结论茶氨酸对脑缺血再灌注损伤有保护作用,值得进一步研究。     

GM1 ganglioside treatment protects against long-term neurotoxic effects of neonatal X-irradiation on cerebellar cortex cytoarchitecture and motor function

Exposure of neonatal rats to a 5 Gy dose of X-irradiation induces permanent abnormalities in cerebellar cortex cytoarchitecture (disarrangement of Purkinje cells, reduction of thickness of granular cortex) and neurochemistry (late increase in noradrenaline levels), and motor function (ataxic gait). The neuroprotective effects of gangliosides have been demonstrated using a variety of CNS injuries, including mechanical, electrolytic, neurotoxic, ischemic, and surgical lesions. Here, we evaluated whether systemically administered GM1 ganglioside protects against the long-term CNS abnormalities induced by a single exposure to ionizing radiation in the early post-natal period. Thus, neonatal rats were exposed to 5 Gy X-irradiation, and subcutaneously injected with one dose (30 mg/kg weight) of GM1 on h after exposure followed by three daily doses. Both at post-natal days 30 and 90, gait and cerebellar cytoarchitecture in X-irradiated rats were significantly impaired when compared to age-matched controls. By contrast, both at post-natal days 30 and 90, gait in X-irradiated rats that were treated with GM1 was not significantly different from that in non-irradiated animals. Furthermore, at post-natal day 90, cerebellar cytoarchitecture was still well preserved in GM1-treated, X-irradiated animals. GM1 failed to modify the radiation-induced increase in cerebellar noradrenaline levels. Present data indicate that exogenous GM1, repeatedly administered after neonatal X-irradiation, produces a long-term radioprotection, demonstrated at both cytoarchitectural and motor levels.     

Ultrasound-Enhanced Protective Effect of Tetramethylpyrazine via the ROS/HIF-1A Signaling Pathway in an in Vitro Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury Model

Reactive oxygen species-induced oxidative stress is an important pathophysiological process during cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. It has been reported that the protective effect of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) against cerebral I/R injury can be significantly improved by its combination with ultrasound exposure. However, the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways underlying the synergistic protective effect remain unclear. In the present work, the damage induced by I/R injury was modeled by glutamate-induced toxicity to pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. The ultrasound-enhanced protective effect of TMP was systemically investigated by measuring variations in cell viability, cell migration and levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species, the oxidative stress-related protein glutathione, apoptosis-related proteins (caspase-8, -9 and -3), as well as expression of related genes (hypoxia-inducible factor-1a, p53, murine double minute2). The results suggest that the ultrasound-enhanced protective effect of TMP against cerebral I/R injury might act via the reactive oxygen species/hypoxia-inducible factor-1a signaling pathway, and an appropriate ultrasound intensity should be selected to achieve an optimal synergistic neuroprotective effect.     

The neuroprotective effect of tropisetron on vincristine-induced neurotoxicity

Vincristine (VCR) peripheral neuropathy is a dose-limiting side effect. Several studies have shown that tropisetron, a 5-HT₃ receptor antagonist, exerts anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Current study was designed to investigate a suppressive effect of tropisetron on VCR-induced neuropathy and whether this effect exerts through the 5-HT₃ receptor or not.Neuropathy was induced in rats by administration of vincristine (0.5 mg/kg, 3 intraperitoneal injections on alternate days) and in treatment group, tropisetron (3 mg/kg); m-chlorophenylbiguanide (mCPBG), a selective 5-HT₃ receptor agonist (15 mg/kg); tropisetron (3 mg/kg) plus mCPBG (15 mg/kg); granisetron, another selective 5-HT₃ receptor antagonist (3 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally 1 h prior to vincristine injection. Hot plate, open field tests (total distance moved, mean velocity and percentage of total duration of the movement) and motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) were performed to evaluate the sensory and motor neuropathy. Further, plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) and the level of TNF-α in sciatic nerve were assessed as well as histological examination.In only VCR-treated rats hot plate latencies were significantly increased, total distance moved, mean velocity, total duration of the movement and sciatic MNCV significantly decreased compared with control. In tropisetron and tropisetron plus mCPBG groups, one injection of tropisetron prior to each VCR injection robustly diminished TNF-α and IL-2 levels, and also prevented mixed sensory-motor neuropathy, as indicated by less mortality rate, better general conditions, behavioral and electrophysiological studies. Moreover, pathological evidence confirmed the results obtained from other findings. But granisetron and mCPBG had no significant effect on the mentioned parameters.In conclusion, these studies demonstrate that tropisetron significantly suppressed VCR-induced neuropathy and could be a neuroprotective agent for prevention of VCR-induced neuropathy via a receptor-independent pathway.     

Studies on the structure-activity relationship of caffeate derivatives as neuroprotective agents

In the present study, novel ester derivatives of CAPE were designed and synthesized as neuroprotective agents. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of these compounds were evaluated at the cellular level, while the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability was predicted by parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA). The results revealed that phenolic hydroxyl groups and double bonds in the structure of CAPE had important effects on neuroprotective activities. Accordingly,a preliminary structure-activity relationship was summarized in this paper. In addition, we observed a significant improvement on BBB permeability. These results provided important references for the structural modification and optimization of CAPE in the future.     

Neuroprotective effect of crude polysaccharide isolated from the fruiting bodies of Morchella importuna against H2O2-induced PC12 cell cytotoxicity by reducing oxidative stress

Oxidative stress played an essential role in neuronal cell injury through several apoptotic mechanisms associated with many neurodegenerative diseases. Reducing oxidative stress through antioxidants might be a possible strategy that could retard the disease’s progression. In order to investigate the neuroprotective role of MIP (the crude polysaccharide extracted from the fruiting bodies of Morchella importuna), the antioxidative activity of MIP against the H₂O₂-induced cytotoxicity and the underlying preventative mechanisms in rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells were illustrated. It was shown that MIP could considerably enhance the viability of PC12 cells exposure to H₂O₂ and increased the activities of antioxidant enzyme like CAT, GSH-Px and SOD. It also reduced the content of malondialdehyde MDA and caspase-3 activation. In addition, MIP inhibited cell apoptosis via down-regulation of the NF-κB pathway and the p38-JNK pathway as well as activating of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Accordingly, MIP can be used as a promising neuroprotective compound for nervous diseases treatment.     

缺血预处理介导神经保护的分子机制

大量动物实验证实,缺血预处理可产生强大的器官保护作用,但动物实验向临床试验转化的进展和结果不尽如人意.对缺血预处理介导的神经保护的分子机制进行研究,寻找可转化到临床的安全且有效的预处理诱导方式,对于提高卒中和手术患者神经组织对缺血缺氧的耐受力,实现安全和有效的神经保护具有重要意义.文章从预处理活化受体、线粒体、转录因子和蛋白激酶等方面对缺血预处理介导神经保护的分子机制进行了综述.     

Perspectives on "chronic Lyme disease"

There is much controversy about the treatment of Lyme disease with respect to 2 poorly defined entities: “chronic Lyme disease” and “posttreatment Lyme disease syndrome.” In the absence of direct evidence that these conditions are the result of a persistent infection, some mistakenly advocate extended antibiotic therapy (≥6 months), which can do great harm and has resulted in at least 1 death. The purpose of this brief report is to review what is known from clinical research about these conditions to assist both practicing physicians and lawmakers in making sound and safe decisions with respect to treatment.     

Cerebral ischemia-induced mitochondrial changes in a global ischemic rat model by AFM

Mitochondria play a central role in cell survival, and apoptotic cell death is associated with morphological changes in mitochondria. Quantification of the morphological and mechanical property changes in brain mitochondria is useful for evaluating the degree of ischemic injury and the neuroprotective effects of various drugs. This study was performed to investigate the changes in brain mitochondria in an 11-vessel occlusion ischemic model treated with magnesium sulfate (MgSO₄), utilizing atomic force microscopy (AFM). Rats were randomly divided into three groups consisting of sham (n = 6), global ischemia (GI, n = 6), and MgSO₄-treated global ischemia (MgSO₄, n = 6). The biophysical properties of brain mitochondria determined from AFM topographic images and adhesion force from force–distance measurements. The mean perimeter of ischemic mitochondria significantly increased to 2,396 ± 541 nm (vs. 1,006 ± 318 nm in control group, P < 0.001). The MgSO₄ treatment during global ischemia reduced the perimeter of ischemic mitochondria (1,127 ± 399 nm, P < 0.001). The other parameters including length, width and area were significantly different than the GI group. Besides, the adhesion force (23.2 ± 3.9 nN) of isolated mitochondria from the MgSO₄ group was close to normal levels (28.5 ± 2.5 nN), compared with that of ischemic ones (17.7 ± 3.3 nN, P < 0.001). To confirm the neuroprotective effects of MgSO₄, we performed Nissl staining. This study suggested that quantitative analysis of mitochondrial changes utilizing AFM could be effective for evaluating neuronal injury and drug effects.