The immunosuppressant FK506 ameliorates ischaemic damage in the rat brain

The effect of the immunosuppressant FK506 on ischaemic neuronal damage was studied in a rat model of transient cerebral ischemia induced by occlusion of both common carotid arteries in combination with hypotension for 10 min. Neuronal damage was assessed morphologically after 4 days of recovery. Treatment with FK506, given at a dose of 2 mg kg^-1 by intraperitoneal injections 30 min prior to ischemia and once daily during recovery, decreased neuronal damage by 52% in the hippocampal CA1 region and by 48% in the temporal cortex. The protection was not due to diminished body temperature or a marked reduction of ischaemia-induced synaptic overflow of glutamate. We propose that FK506 decreases neuronal damage either by inhibiting calcineurin-mediated events or by preserving mitochondrial function.     

Melatonin ameliorates neocortical neuronal dendritic impairment induced by toluene inhalation in the rat

The present study investigated the effects of toluene inhalation and the restorative effects of melatonin on branching and basal dendritic outgrowth of superficial pyramidal neurons in rat’s frontal, parietal, and occipital cortices. At postnatal day 21 (P21), Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly assigned to either an air-only group or a toluene group. From P22 to P32 the animals were exposed to either clean air or toluene vapors (5000-6000 ppm) for 10 min/day. This strategy simulated common toluene abuse in humans, which consists of 15-20 rapid inhalations of highly concentrated solvent. Once the inhalation period was over (P32), toluene exposed animals were randomly reassigned to one of following experimental groups: (i) air-control/saline; (ii) toluene/saline; (iii) toluene/melatonin 0.5 mg/kg; (iv) toluene/melatonin 1.0 mg/kg; (v) toluene/melatonin 5.0 mg/kg; and (vi) toluene/melatonin 10 mg/kg. Seven days after the last inhalation (P39), all the animals were sacrificed under deep anesthesia; brains were dissected out and stained according to the Golgi-Cox-Sholl procedure. Layer II/III pyramidal neurons were morphologically analyzed by measuring their basilar dendritic length and the number of branches. The results obtained revealed that (i) toluene inhalation significantly reduced dendritic outgrowth and branching in all cortical areas studied, and (ii) intraperitoneal administration of melatonin (0.5-10 mg/kg) was able to restore the dendritic impairment induced by toluene exposure.     

沙土鼠短暂性脑缺血后海马迟发性神经元死亡机理的研究

本实验通过结扎沙土鼠双侧颈总动脉20分钟后再灌流2天或7天造成海马迟发性神经元死亡(DND)模型,检测背侧海马Ca~(2 )及脂质过氧化物含量的变化,并用海马CA_1区神经元密度作为指标,观察尼莫地平及超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)对海马DND的影响。结果:再灌流2天后背侧海马组织Ca~(2 )及MDA含量增加;尼莫地平及SOD均可改善海马CA_1区DND,使海马CA_1区神经元密度增加。本实验提示:Ca~(2 )及氧自由基导致的脂质过氧化物在短暂性脑缺血后海马DND的发生中起重要作用,钙拮抗剂及自由基清除剂对海马DND有保护作用。     

Altered synchrony and connectivity in neuronal networks expressing an autism-related mutation of neuroligin 3

The neuroligin (NL) gene family codes for brain specific cell adhesion molecules that play an important role in synaptic connectivity. Recent studies have identified NL mutations linked to patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Cognitive deficits seen in autistic patients are hypothesized to arise from altered synchronicity both within and between brain regions. Here we show how the expression of autism-associated neuroligin mutation R471C-NL3 affects synchrony in dissociated cultures of rat hippocampal neurons. Spontaneous network activity patterns of cultures expressing wild type and mutant NL3 were measured by optical techniques. Firing events were quantified and compared by cross-correlation analysis. Our results suggest that NL3 overexpression enhances synchrony of spontaneous activity patterns, however, this ability is reduced with the R471C-NL3 mutation. We investigated the structural basis of this phenomenon using fractal dimension analysis to characterize the arrangement of axon trajectories. R471C-NL3 cultures were associated with lower fractal dimensions and higher lacunarity values, indicating a decrease in the complexity of axonal architecture. Transfection of R471C-NL3 into a subpopulation of cells in a network resulted in neuronal degeneration. This degeneration likely affected the inhibitory population of neurons, as there were half as many (P<0.01, n=12) glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) 65 expressing cells in R471C-NL3 cultures compared to wild type NL3 and control cultures. Electrophysiological recordings showed a reduction of inhibitory activity in networks carrying the mutation in comparison to networks overexpressing wild-type NL3. Together, these data support the hypothesis that the autism-associated NL3 mutation affects information processing in neuronal networks by altering network architecture and synchrony.     

3H]Spiperone binding in the rat striatum during the development of physical dependence on phencyclidine and after withdrawal

Binding of [3H]spiperone to dopamine D2 receptors was measured in the striatum of male rats that were infused with phencyclidine (PCP, 45 mg/kg per day) or vehicle (saline) via an intrajugular cannula for 1, 3.5, or 7 days. The 7-day PCP infusion, which was shown previously to induce physical dependence, produced a significant 30% decrease in receptor density (Bmax). Two days after termination of the 7-day PCP infusion, Bmax values were no longer significantly lower than those of saline-infused controls. The acute administration of PCP (20 mg/kg, i.p.) did not alter receptor density 45 min later.     

Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of Bcl-xL prevents cell death in primary neuronal culture of the rat

Bcl-xL is a Bcl-2-related gene that regulates programmed cell death in a bcl-2-independent fashion. It is expressed in tissues containing long-surviving postmitotic cells, such as neurons in adult brains. To investigate the possibility of gene therapy for transferring this anti-apoptotic gene into the neuron for the treatment of vascular occlusive or neurodegenerative diseases, we examined the effect of a replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus vector coding human Bcl-xL gene on the augmentation of the survival of primarily-cultured rat neuronal cells in vitro. Immunoblot analysis revealed that primarily-cultured neuronal cells were successfully infected and transferred with this gene by recombinant adenovirus vector with high transduction efficiency. Bcl-xL gene transfer to the primarily-cultured neurons could prevent these cells from cell death.     

Motor impairment and neuronal damage following hypothermia in tropical amphibians

Although the induction of mild to moderate cerebral hypothermia in mammals can have neuroprotective activity, some deleterious effects have been described when inducing deep hypothermia during cooling of the brain. In the spinal cord, rapid deep cooling can induce seizure activity accompanied by release of the excitatory neurotransmitters, glutamate and aspartate. We used cold-sensitive tropical amphibians as a model to determine (a) the critical temperature inside the central nervous system necessary to induce seizures during rapid cooling; (b) the survival rate during slow deep cooling of the whole animal; and (c) whether deep cooling can cause neuronal cell damage. Seizures induced by deep rapid (or=30 min) deep cooling of the whole animal (12 h at 2-3 degrees C), around 70% of animals died. Spinal reflexes were enhanced when temperatures within the spinal cord reached between 9.0 degrees C and 11.6 degrees C. A fivefold increase in blood glucose level was observed during slow deep cooling. Recovery after slow deep cooling was accompanied by motor impairment and the main histological findings were condensation of the cytoplasm and nuclear pyknosis. Severe neuronal cell damage was characterized by swelling, vacuolated cytoplasm with distended neuronal bodies. These results indicate that deep cooling can easily induce neuronal cell damage in the central nervous system of cold-sensitive animals. They also warn us to the potential sequels associated with the use of deep brain cooling as a neuroprotective strategy.     

Delayed neuronal cell death and microglial cell reactivity in the CA1 region of the rat hippocampus in the cardiac arrest model

Morphological changes in the CA1 region of the hippocampus in the rat cardiac arrest model were studied with the in situ nick-end labeling (TUNEL) method and light and electron microscopy. The TUNEL-positive pyramidal cells first appeared on day 1, increased in number with time, and reached a peak at 7 days after recirculation. At the ultrastructural level, cell shrinkage, nuclear fragmentation, and an increased number of atuophagic vacuoles of the pyramidal cells were observed in the CA1 region. The brief ischemia activates the microglial cells in the CA1 region, and these cells were found to increase in number with time. The microglial cells were seen to adhere to degenerating pyramidal cells and to phagocytose the apoptotic neurons selectively.     

Neuroprotection and neurogenesis: modulation of cornus ammonis 1 neuronal survival after transient forebrain ischemia by prior fimbria-fornix deafferentation

Severe transient forebrain ischemia causes selective neuronal death in the hippocampal cornus ammonis 1 region. We tested the hypothesis that fimbria-fornix deafferentation can provide long-term protection to cornus ammonis 1 neurons and modulate neurogenesis following ischemia. Fimbria-fornix lesion or sham-fimbria-fornix lesion was performed on Wistar rats 13 days prior to 10 min forebrain ischemia or sham ischemia. Temperature was regulated and rats survived for 7, 14 or 28 days. Immunofluorescent bromodeoxyuridine and neuron specific nuclear protein staining and immunochemistry terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated UTP nick end labeling staining were performed. At 7 days after ischemia, 73%+/-14% of cornus ammonis 1 neurons were damaged, while deafferentation reduced the injury to 36%+/-17% of cornus ammonis 1 neurons. This protection persisted for at least 28 days. Ischemia significantly increased the number of bromodeoxyuridine-positive cells (85-90 cells/section in stroke group vs. 6 to 11 cells/section in normal or sham stroke group), with very few terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated UTP nick end labeling-stained cells adjacent to the hippocampal cornus ammonis 1. Fimbria-fornix lesioning followed by ischemia increased the percentage of new neurons 13-fold over ischemia alone and 6.5-fold over sham lesion plus ischemia. The results indicate that fimbria-fornix deafferentation provides long-term neuroprotection in cornus ammonis 1 following forebrain ischemia and promotes neurogenesis after ischemic insults.     

Involvement of cAMP in neuronal survival and axonal regeneration

In vitro, cAMP elevation alters neuronal responsiveness to diffusible growth factors and overcomes myelin-associated inhibitory molecules. Significant advances have been made recently in understanding the role of increases in cAMP in promoting axonal growth. Importantly, it has now been shown that cAMP elevation can promote axonal regeneration and functional recovery after central nervous system injury. Elevation of cAMP can be achieved via either direct application of cAMP analogs or an inhibitor of the enzyme phosphodiesterase that degrades cAMP in vivo. Current information points to a number of protein kinase A-mediated pathways (mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/akt pathway activation and Rho inactivation) underlying cAMP elevation-induced neuronal survival and axonal regeneration.     

Postischaemic changes in protein synthesis in the rat brain: effects of hypothermia

Protein synthesis, measured as [¹⁴C]-leucine incorporation into proteins, was studied in the normothermic rat brain following 15 min of transient cerebral ischaemia and 1 h, 24 h and 48 h of recirculation, and in the hypothermic (33°C) brain following 1 h and 48 h of recirculation. Ischaemia was induced by bilateral common carotid occlusion combined with hypotension. Following normothermic ischaemia, incorporation of [¹⁴C]-leucine was depressed by 40–80% at 1 h of recirculation in all brain regions studied. At 48 h postischaemia, incorporation returned to normal or above normal levels in the inner layers of neocortex, the CA3 region, the striatum and the dentate gyrus, while in the outer layers of neocortex and in the hippocampal CA1 region the incorporation was persistently decreased by 26% and 40% respectively. At 24 and 48 h postischaemia, protein synthesis in the CA1 region and the striatum could be attributed to proliferating microglia. Intra-ischaemic hypothermia ameliorated the persistent depression of protein synthesis in the CA1 region at 48 h postischaemia, and a two-fold increase compared to the normothermic group was observed both in the CA1 region and the striatum. In the cortex, eucaryotic initiation factor 2 activity transiently decreased at 30 min postischaemia. In animals subjected to intra-ischaemic hypothermia, the eucaryotic initiation factor 2 activity was reduced by 50% of control at 30 min of recirculation compared with 77% in normothermic animals. We conclude that the postischaemic depression of protein synthesis is in part caused by a decrease in eucaryotic initiation factor 2 activity. The early postischaemic depression may reflect a reaction of the tissue to stress, while the late persistent depression, which is normalised by intra-ischaemic hypothermia, may be related to the mechanism of cell death.     

In vivo heat shock preconditioning mitigates calcium overload during ischaemia/reperfusion in the isolated, perfused rat heart

Heat shock (HS) pretreatment of the heart is effective in mitigating the deleterious effects of ischaemia/reperfusion. The main objective of this study was to determine whether the beneficial effect of HS is associated with the preservation of intracellular Ca²⁺ handling in the ischaemic/reperfused, isolated rat heart. Twenty-four hours after raising body core temperature to 42 °C for 15 min, rat hearts were perfused according to Langendorff and subjected to 30 min ischaemia followed by 20 min reperfusion. Cyclic changes of cytoplasmic calcium ion [Ca²⁺_i] levels were measured by surface fluorometry using Indo-1 AM. Reperfused HS hearts showed improved recovery of contractile function compared with control hearts: end-diastolic pressure: 45±11 vs. 64±22 mm Hg; developed pressure: 72±12 vs. 41±20 mm Hg; maximum rate of pressure increase (+dP/dt_max): 1,513±305 vs. 938±500 mm Hg/s; maximum rate of pressure decrease (–dP/dt_max): –1,354±304 vs. –806±403 mm Hg/s. HS hearts displayed a significantly lower end-diastolic cytosolic [Ca²⁺] ([Ca²⁺]_i) after reinstallation of flow. The dynamic parameters of the Ca²⁺_i transients, i.e. the maximum rate of increase/decrease (±dCa²⁺_i/dt_max) and amplitude, did not differ between reperfused control and HS hearts. The novel finding of this study is that improved performance of the HS-preconditioned heart after an ischaemic insult is associated with a reduced end-diastolic Ca²⁺_i load, and most likely, preserved Ca²⁺ sensitivity of the myocardial contractile machinery.     

Alterations in neuronal survival and glial reactions after axotomy by ceftriaxone and minocycline in the mouse hypoglossal nucleus

Some antibiotics are suggested to exert neuroprotective effects via regulation of glial responses. Attenuation of microglial activation by minocycline prevents neuronal death in a variety of experimental models for neurological diseases, such as cerebral ischemia, Parkinson's and Huntington's disease. Ceftriaxone delays loss of neurons in genetic animal models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis through upregulation of astrocytic glutamate transporter expression (GLT-1). However, it remains largely unknown whether these antibiotics are able to protect neurons in axotomy models for progressive motor neuron diseases. Recent studies have shown that the axotomized motoneurons of the adult rat can survive, whereas those of the adult mouse undergo neuronal degeneration. We thus examined the possible effects of ceftriaxone and minocycline on neuronal loss and glial reactions in the mouse hypoglossal nucleus after axotomy. The survival rate of lesioned motoneurons at 28 days after axotomy (D28) was significantly improved by ceftriaxone and minocycline treatment. There were no significant differences in the cellular densities of astrocytes between ceftriaxone-treated and saline-treated animals. Ceftriaxone administration increased the expression of GLT-1 in the hypoglossal nucleus, while it suppressed the reactive increase of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression to control level. The cellular densities of microglia at D28 were significantly lower in minocycline-treated mice than in saline-treated mice. The time course analysis showed that immediate increase in microglia at D3 and D7 was not suppressed by minocycline. The present observations show that minocycline and ceftriaxone promote survival of lesioned motoneurons in the mouse hypoglossal nucleus, and also suggest that alterations in glial responses might be involved in neuroprotective actions of antibiotics.     

Protective effects of ebselen, a seleno-organic antioxidant on neurodegeneration induced by hypoxia and reperfusion in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat

Cerebral ischemia followed by oxygen reperfusion induced apoptosis in hippocampal neurons in the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHRSP) but not in Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). We investigated whether 2-phenyl-1,2-benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-one, also called PZ51 (ebselen), useful for treating ischemic damage or antihypertension in the brain, can protect against ischemic neuronal damage in SHRSP. In this study, we compared the effects of ebselen, carvedilol, 3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one (MCI-186) as well as vitamin E, added to cultures of neurons after reoxygenation (20% O(2)) following hypoxia (1% O(2)). SHRSP neurons died rapidly during reoxygenation following hypoxia but were rescued in large measure by 10 muM ebselen (neuronal death; 2.7+/-1.4%). In order of neuroprotective potency, the agents ranked as follows: ebselen>carvedilol>MCI-186>vitamin E. In vivo, strong neuroprotection by ebselen was observed in the hippocampal CA1 region of SHRSP (32.9+/-9.5 apoptotic neuron/1000 neurons, 30 mg/kg/day). Ebselen prevented apoptosis as confirmed by morphological observations in vivo. Its effect was associated with the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax. These findings suggest that ebselen has a marked inhibitory effect on neuronal damage during stroke. Ebselen may be effective in the prevention and/or treatment of neurodegenerative diseases associated with excessive apoptosis in patients with stroke.     

亚低温联合盐酸法舒地尔对创伤性脑损伤后Bcl-2和Bax表达的影响

目的：探讨亚低温联合脑血管扩张药盐酸法舒地尔对脑外伤（TBI）大鼠脑细胞Bcl-2、Bax蛋白表达的影响及其对外伤后受损害脑组织的保护作用。方法：30只SD大鼠随机分为假手术组（Sham）、创伤性脑损伤组（TBI）、亚低温治疗组（MHT）、法舒地尔治疗组（FSD）及亚低温联合法舒地尔组（MHT＋FSD）,每组6只。Allen＇s改良法制作海马细胞凋亡的模型,予以亚低温及亚低温联合法舒地尔治疗。HE染色观察海马细胞形态学的变化;免疫组化法检测神经细胞Bcl-2和Bax蛋白表达的变化。结果：（1）HE染色。MHT组与FSD组海马细胞均较TBI组形态规则,胞核浓染、固缩的现象明显减少。与MHT组及FSD组相比,MHT＋FSD组细胞层次更多,排列也更为整齐。（2）免疫组化检测。与TBI组相比,MHT组及FSD组Bcl-2蛋白达表水平显著增高（P〈0．05）,Bax的表达明显降低（P〈0．05）;与MHT组及FSD组相比,MHT＋FSD组Bcl-2蛋白表达显著增强（P〈0．05）,Bax的表达显著降低（P〈0．05）。结论：亚低温联合法舒地尔治疗可通过有效抑制TBI后细胞凋亡而发挥脑保护作用。     

微管相关蛋白Doublecortin在成年大鼠神经元前体细胞发生中的表达

目的:探索神经元前体细胞的微管相关蛋白Doublecortin(DCX)在成年大鼠神经元前体细胞发生中的表达,为神经元前体细胞的增殖和迁移研究提供理论及实验基础。方法:将大鼠脑组织行冰冻切片,采用免疫组化在光镜下观察DCX免疫阳性细胞的表达部位和形态特点。结果:神经元前体细胞的标志物DCX主要分布在4个神经发生相关区域:室下区、齿状回的粒下层、吻侧迁移流和嗅球。然而在皮质等无神经发生的区域只有极少量的DCX免疫阳性细胞。DCX免疫阳性细胞在形态上均呈梭形的胞体和单个的前导突起。结论:DCX免疫阳性细胞的形态符合神经元前体细胞的形态特征。DCX作为神经元前体细胞的标志物可以用来研究神经元前体细胞的增殖和迁移。     

Alpha-Phenyl-n-tert-butyl-nitrone attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced neuronal injury in the neonatal rat brain

Although white matter damage is a fundamental neuropathological feature of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), the motor and cognitive deficits observed later in infants with PVL indicate the possible involvement of cerebral neuronal dysfunction. Using a previously developed rat model of white matter injury induced by cerebral lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection, we investigated whether LPS exposure also results in neuronal injury in the neonatal brain and whether alpha-phenyl-n-tert-butyl-nitrone (PBN), an antioxidant, offers protection against LPS-induced neuronal injury. A stereotactic intracerebral injection of LPS (1 mg/kg) was performed in Sprague-Dawley rats (postnatal day 5) and control rats were injected with sterile saline. LPS exposure resulted in axonal and neuronal injury in the cerebral cortex as indicated by elevated expression of beta-amyloid precursor protein, altered axonal length and width, and increased size of cortical neuronal nuclei. LPS exposure also caused loss of tyrosine hydroxylase positive neurons in the substantia nigra and the ventral tegmental areas of the rat brain. Treatments with PBN (100 mg/kg) significantly reduced LPS-induced neuronal and axonal damage. The protection of PBN was associated with an attenuation of oxidative stress induced by LPS as indicated by the reduced number of 4-hydroxynonenal, malondialdehyde or nitrotyrosine positive cells in the cortical area following LPS exposure, and with the reduction in microglial activation stimulated by LPS. The finding that an inflammatory environment may cause both white matter and neuronal injury in the neonatal brain supports the possible anatomical correlate for the intellectual deficits and the other cortical and deep gray neuronal dysfunctions associated with PVL. The protection of PBN may indicate the potential usefulness of antioxidants for treatment of these neuronal dysfunctions.     

Degradation of PEP-19, a calmodulin-binding protein, by calpain is implicated in neuronal cell death induced by intracellular Ca2+ overload

Excessive elevation of intracellular Ca2+ levels and, subsequently, hyperactivation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent processes might play an important role in the pathologic events following cerebral ischemia. PEP-19 is a neuronally expressed polypeptide that acts as an endogenous negative regulator of calmodulin by inhibiting the association of calmodulin with enzymes and other proteins. The aims of the present study were to investigate the effect of PEP-19 overexpression on cell death triggered by Ca2+ overload and how the polypeptide levels are affected by glutamate-induced excitotoxicity and cerebral ischemia. Expression of PEP-19 in HEK293T cells suppressed calmodulin-dependent signaling and protected against cell death elicited by Ca2+ ionophore. Likewise, primary cortical neurons overexpressing PEP-19 became resistant to glutamate-induced cell death. In immunoprecipitation assay, wild type PEP-19 associated with calmodulin, whereas mutated PEP-19, which contains mutations within the calmodulin binding site of PEP-19, failed to associate with calmodulin. We found that the mutation abrogates both the ability to suppress calmodulin-dependent signaling and to protect cells from death. Additionally, the endogenous PEP-19 levels in neurons were significantly reduced following glutamate exposure, this reduction precedes neuronal cell death and can be blocked by treatment with calpain inhibitors. These data suggest that PEP-19 is a substrate for calpain, and that the decreased PEP-19 levels result from its degradation by calpain. A similar reduction of PEP-19 also occurred in the hippocampus of gerbils subjected to transient global ischemia. In contrast to the reduction in PEP-19, no changes in calmodulin occurred following excitotoxicity, suggesting the loss of negative regulation of calmodulin by PEP-19. Taken together, these results provide evidence that PEP-19 overexpression enhances resistance to Ca2+-mediated cytotoxicity, which might be mediated through calmodulin inhibition, and also raises the possibility that PEP-19 degradation by calpain might produce an aberrant activation of calmodulin functions, which in turn causes neuronal cell death.