Changes in expression of mRNAs in the gerbil hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia

Abstract

The phenomenon of delayed neuronal death in CA 1 neurons following brief duration of global ischemia has eluded definitive explanation. Using a differential display technique, we examined changes in expression ofmRNAs in the hippocampus following 5-min cerebral ischemia in Mongolian gerbils.. Under pentobarbital anesthesia, gerbils were sacrificed by decapitation at 6 h (n = 20) and 2 days (n = 20) after ischemia, and sham-operated gerbils (n = 20) were sacrificed at 6 h after surgery. Total RNA was isolated from the hippocampal samples in each group for the differential display analysis. The mRNAs were classified into three patterns; gradual disappearance, decrease and recovery, and new appearance. Representative mRNAs in three patterns were subcloned and sequenced partly. An mRNA in the gradual disappearance pattern showed homologous with neuronal pentraxin. In situ hybridization and Northern blot analyses of neuronal pentraxin revealed the gradual disappearance pattern. An mRNA in the decrease and recovery pattern showed homologous with 14-3-3 protein y-subtype, and an mRNA in the new e appearance pattern showed no homology in the data base. The differential display analysis is a useful technique with which to investigate changes in expression ofmRNAs following transient cerebral ischemia. The novel mRNA may be involved in the treatment of cerebral ischemia. Further studies are necessary for this point. [Neural Res 2000; 22: 825-831]     

Changes in expression of mRNAs in the gerbil hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia

The phenomenon of delayed neuronal death in CA1 neurons following brief duration of global ischemia has eluded definitive explanation. Using a differential display technique, we examined changes in expression of mRNAs in the hippocampus following 5-min cerebral ischemia in Mongolian gerbils. Under pentobarbital anesthesia, gerbils were sacrificed by decapitation at 6 h (n = 20) and 2 days (n = 20) after ischemia, and sham-operated gerbils (n = 20) were sacrificed at 6 h after surgery. Total RNA was isolated from the hippocampal samples in each group for the differential display analysis. The mRNAs were classified into three patterns; gradual disappearance, decrease and recovery, and new appearance. Representative mRNAs in three patterns were subcloned and sequenced partly. An mRNA in the gradual disappearance pattern showed homologous with neuronal pentraxin. In situ hybridization and Northern blot analyses of neuronal pentraxin revealed the gradual disappearance pattern. An mRNA in the decrease and recovery pattern showed homologous with 14-3-3 protein gamma-subtype, and an mRNA in the new appearance pattern showed no homology in the data base. The differential display analysis is a useful technique with which to investigate changes in expression of mRNAs following transient cerebral ischemia. The novel mRNA may be involved in the treatment of cerebral ischemia. Further studies are necessary for this point.     

Hypothermic prevention of nuclear DNA fragmentation in gerbil hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia

The protective effect of hypothermia on DNA fragmentation following transient forebrain ischemia in mongolian gerbils was investigated. The DNA fragmentation demonstrated in situ in gerbil hippocampal CA1 was compared between intra- and post-ischemic hypothermia. Intra- ischemic hypothermia prevented the DNA fragmentation in hippocampal CA1 completely while severe DNA damage was observed in post-ischemic hypothermia group. The degree of DNA fragmentation of hippocampal CA1 in the post-ischemic hypothermia group was equal to that in the ischemic control group. The results suggest that hypothermia during a transient forebrain ischemia exerts a protective effect on the post-ischemic hippocampal damage by preventing the DNA fragmentation in CA1 neurons. [Neurol Res 1995; 17; 461-464]     

DNA fragmentation in the CA2 sector of gerbil hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia

It has been reported that following transient forebrain ischemia in the gerbil, "delayed neuronal death" and "reactive change" occur in hippocampal CA1 and CA2 sectors, respectively. In the present study, using the gerbil transient forebrain ischemia model, we examined brain sections after various recirculation periods and demonstrated, employing the in situ nick-end labeling (TUNEL) method, a nuclear DNA fragmentation in the damaged CA2 neurons.     

Glucose metabolism and neurogenesis in the gerbil hippocampus after transient forebrain ischemia

Recent evidence exists that glucose transporter 3 (GLUT3) plays an important role in the energy metabo-lism in the brain. Most previous studies have been conducted using focal or hypoxic ischemia models and have focused on changes in GLUT3 expression based on protein and mRNA levels rather than tissue levels. In the present study, we observed change in GLUT3 immunoreactivity in the adult gerbil hippocampus at various time points after 5 minutes of transient forebrain ischemia. In the sham-operated group, GLUT3 immunoreactivity in the hippocampal CA1 region was weak, in the pyramidal cells of the CA1 region in-creased in a time-dependent fashion 24 hours after ischemia, and in the hippocampal CA1 region decreased signiifcantly between 2 and 5 days after ischemia, with high level of GLUT3 immunoreactivity observed in the CA1 region 10 days after ischemia. In a double immunolfuorescence study using GLUT3 and gli-al-ifbrillary acidic protein (GFAP), we observed strong GLUT3 immunoreactivity in the astrocytes. GLUT3 immunoreactivity increased after ischemia and peaked 7 days in the dentate gyrus after ischemia/reperfu-sion. In a double immunolfuorescence study using GLUT3 and doublecortin (DCX), we observed low level of GLUT3 immunoreactivity in the differentiated neuroblasts of the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus after ischemia. GLUT3 immunoreactivity in the sham-operated group was mainly detected in the subgran-ular zone of the dentate gyrus. These results suggest that the increase in GLUT3 immunoreactivity may be a compensatory mechanism to modulate glucose level in the hippocampal CA1 region and to promote adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus.     

Selective vulnerability in the gerbil hippocampus following transient ischemia

Summary Following brief ischemia, the Mongolian gerbil is reported to develop unusual hippocampal cell injury (Brain Res 239:57–69, 1982). To further clarify this hippocampal vulnerability, gerbils were subjected to ischemia for 3, 5, 10, 20, and 30 min by bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries. They were perfusion-fixed after varying intervals of survival time ranging from 3 h up to 7 days. Following brief ischemia (5–10min), about 90% of the animals developed typical hippocampal damage. The lesion was present throughout the extent of the dorsal hippocampus, whereas damage outside the hippocampus was not observed. Each sector of the hippocampus showed different types of cell reaction to ischemia. Ischemic cell change was seen in scattered CA4 neurons, and reactive change was found in CA2, whereas CA1 pyramidal cells developed a strikingly slow cell death process. Ischemia for 3 min did not produce hippocampal lesion in most cases. Following prolonged ischemia (20–30min), brain injury had a wide variety in its extent and distribution. These results revealed that the gerbil brief ischemia model can serve as an excellent, reliable model to study the long-known hippocampal selective vulnerability to ischemia. Delayed neuronal death in CA1 pyramidal cells was confirmed after varying degrees of ischemic insult. These findings demonstrated that the pathology of neuronal injury following brief ischemia was by no means uniform nor simple.     

Effect of transient forebrain ischemia on superoxide dismutases in gerbil hippocampus

Substantial generation of oxygen-derived free radicals has been implicated in pathophysiology of ischemic brain damage. Immunoreactive mitochondrial manganese and cytosolic copper-zinc superoxide dismutases, initial and essential enzymes to scavenge superoxide radical anions, increased in the gerbil hippocampal neurons after transient forebrain ischemia. Neuronal cells responded to oxidative stress in ischemia and induced the protective mechanism to increase superoxide dismutases.     

Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases after transient forebrain ischemia in gerbil hippocampus.

We investigated the expression, activation, and distribution of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38s) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry in gerbil hippocampus after transient forebrain ischemia to clarify the role of these kinases in delayed neuronal death (DND) in the CA1 subfield. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated that activities of JNK, p38, and ERK in whole hippocampus were increased after 5 min of global ischemia. We used an immunohistochemical study to elucidate the temporal and spatial expression of these kinases after transient global ischemia. The immunohistochemical study showed that active JNK and p38 immunoreactivities were enhanced at 15 min of reperfusion and then gradually reduced and disappeared in the hippocampal CA1 region. On the other hand, in CA3 neurons, active JNK and p38 immunoreactivities were enhanced at 15 min of reperfusion and peaked at 6 hr of reperfusion and then gradually reduced but was continuously detected 72 hr after ischemia. Active ERK immunoreactivity was observed transiently in CA3 fibers and dentate gyrus. Pretreatment with SB203580, a p38 inhibitor, but not with PD98059, an ERK kinase 1/2 inhibitor, reduced ischemic cell death in the CA1 region after transient global ischemia by inhibiting the activity of p38. These findings indicate that the p38 pathway may play an important role in DND during brain ischemia in gerbil. Components of the pathway are important target molecules for clarifying the mechanism of neuronal death.     

Multiple neurotrophic signals converge in surviving CA1 neurons of the gerbil hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia

Delayed cell death involving the CA1 area of the hippocampus was produced following 5 minutes of transient forebrain ischemia in gerbils. Cell death mainly affected CA1 pyramidal neurons, whereas parvalbumin-immunoreactive (parv-ir) cells were spared. Synaptophysin immunoreactivity was observed in the strata oriens and radiatum of CA1 for months, although immunoreactivity decreased in gerbils surviving 1 year post-ischemia. Golgi studies disclosed a few pyramidal neurons with dendrites, variably covered with dendritic spines, in the CA1 area of 1-year surviving gerbils. In the normal gerbil, the majority of CA1 neurons expressed brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tyrosine protein kinase C (TrkC), fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (Flg), transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), and epidermal growth factor-receptor (EGF-R), but only a minority of cells were tyrosine protein kinase B (TrkB)-immunoreactive. Marked reduction in the number of BDNF-, TrkC-, Flg-, TGF-alpha-, and EGF-R-ir cells was observed in CA1 from 24 hours to 1 year after ischemia. In contrast, TrkB-ir cells survived the ischemic insult. Double-labeling immunohistochemistry disclosed that about 90% of surviving BDNF-ir and 85% of TrkB-ir neurons co-localized parvalbumin in the CA1 area. In control gerbils, only about 5% of BDNF-ir cells in CA1 co-expressed TrkB. However, TrkB co-localized in about 95% of surviving BDNF-ir neurons in CA1 in ischemic gerbils. In addition, parvalbumin was co-expressed in about 90% of TrkC-, 95% Flg-, and 85% EGF-R-ir surviving neurons in the stratum pyramidale of CA1. Finally, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was expressed by reactive astrocytes from day 4 onwards. These data show that the subpopulation of TrkB-/parv-ir neurons in CA1 survive the ischemic episode and that multiple neurotrophic signals converge in surviving neurons of the gerbil hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia. J. Comp. Neurol. 394:416–430, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Effects of hyperthermia on the effectiveness of MK-801 treatment in the gerbil hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia

The effects of dizocilipine maleate (MK-801), a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor/channel antagonist, were tested on the dysfunction of neurotransmitter and signal transduction systems and morphological damage 7 days after transient forebrain ischemia in gerbils. Neurotransmitter system (adenosine A1, muscarinic cholinergic receptor) and signal transduction system (inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor: IP3, protein kinase C: PKC, L-type calcium channels) binding sites were mapped by in vitro quantitative receptor autoradiography. All ligands used in the present study decreased significantly in the CA1 subfield 7 days after ischemia. In normothermic animals, pretreatment with MK-801 failed to protect against decreased receptor binding in the hippocampus 7 days after ischemia. Moreover, in a morphological study, pre- and posttreatment of MK-801 failed to show protective effects against ischemic neuronal damage. On the other hand, pretreatment of MK-801, without maintaining body temperature, prevented the neuronal death of CA1 subfield 7 days after ischemia. These results weaken the hypothesis that NMDA receptor/channel may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of neuronal damage after transient forebrain ischemia.     

Dephosphorylation of eNOS on Thr495 after transient forebrain ischemia in gerbil hippocampus

We investigated phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) at two major sites, Ser1177 and Thr495, which has a critical role to control its activity, in the gerbil hippocampal microvasculature after transient forebrain ischemia. Ser1177 phosphorylation was unchanged by 24 h after reperfusion, despite post-ischemic up-regulation of eNOS protein. However, Thr495 phosphorylation significantly and persistently decreased by 48 h. We here defined the changes in eNOS phosphorylation in vivo following brain ischemia/reperfusion. (ischemia).     

Autoradiographic analysis of second messenger and neurotransmitter receptor bindings in the strionigral system of the postischemic rat brain.

We studied the postischemic alterations of second messenger and receptor systems focusing on the strionigral pathway in order to clarify the mechanism of the delayed neuronal changes in remote areas of the rat brain after transient focal ischemia. Chronological changes of [3H]forskolin and [3H]SCH 23390 binding sites and 45Ca accumulation were determined by using autoradiographic methods after 90 min of right middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion and after such occlusion followed by different periods of recirculation. After the ischemic insult, 45Ca accumulation extended to the lateral segment of the caudate putamen (CPu-L) and to the cerebral cortex, both supplied by the occluded MCA. After the ischemia, [3H]forskolin binding sites were found to be markedly decreased in the early stage in the CPu-L, the ischemic focus in this model, but reduction of the dopamine D-1 receptor sites was first detected there 1 day after the ischemia. On the contrary, in the exo-focal remote areas, there was no alteration of either [3H]forskolin or D-1 receptor binding sites on day 1. However, 3 days after the ischemia, marked reduction of both these binding sites was first observed in the ipsilateral substantia nigra, which had not been directly affected by the original ischemic insult. These postischemic delayed phenomena observed in the substantia nigra developed concurrently with abnormal 45Ca accumulation. These results suggest that strionigral terminal degeneration in the substantia nigra is caused by precedent ischemic damage of the ipsilateral caudate putamen and that intracellular signal transduction including both second messenger and receptor systems may be involved prior to the neuronal damage in the exo-focal postischemic brain areas.     

Delayed neuronal death in the rat hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia

Summary An unusual, slowly progressing neuronal damage has been reported to occur in the gerbil hippocampus following ischemia (Kirino 1982). Delayed neuronal death following ischemia has also been noticed in the rat four-vessel occlusion model (Pulsinelli et al. 1982). By light microscopy this slow neuronal injury in the rat was not different from the previously known neuronal ischemic cell change. This report lead us to the question as to whether neurons in the rat hippocampus are damaged rapidly following an initial latent period or deteriorate slowly and progressively until they display overt changes. To clarify this point, observation was done on the hippocampal CA1 sector of the rat following ischemia. Rats were subjected to four-vessel occlusion, and those which developed ischemic symptoms were perfusion-fixed. Although the change appeared very slowly and lacked microvacuolation of the cytoplasm, neuronal alteration was practically not different from classical ischemic cell change. By electron microscopy, however, the change was detectable when the neurons still appeared intact by light microscopy. An increase in the membranous organelles and deposition of dark substances were the initial manifestations. It seemed that the CA1 neurons deteriorated very slowly and progressively, and that they retained partial viability in the initial phase of the change. In spite of the difference in light-microscopic findings, the mechanisms underlying delayed neuronal death in the rat and gerbil hippocampus seemed to be identical.     

The microglial reaction in the rat dorsal hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia.

We have examined the distribution and time course of the microglial reaction in the rat dorsal hippocampus after 25-min transient forebrain ischemia (four-vessel occlusion model). Microglial cells were visualized in brain sections using lectin staining with the Griffonia simplicifolia B4-isolectin following intervals of reperfusion ranging from 20 min to 4 weeks. Increased staining of microglial cells was detected in the dentate hilus and area CA1 as early as 20 min after reperfusion. These same regions demonstrated more intense microglial staining after 24 h. The strongest microglial reaction was observed 4-6 days after reperfusion when reactive microglia were abundant throughout all laminae of CA1 and the dentate hilus. Following longer reperfusion intervals, the microglial reaction became less intense; however, it remained above normal levels until the end of the fourth week. At all time points examined, microglial reactivity in the CA3 pyramidal and dentate granule cell layers was considerably lower than that observed in CA1 and dentate hilus. Our results are consistent with the known serial pathological changes associated with cerebral ischemia, but, in addition, show that the examination of the microglial reaction provides an extremely sensitive indicator of subtle and morphologically nonapparent neuronal damage during the early stages of injury.     

Expression of Bax and Bcl-2 protein in the gerbil hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia and its modification by phencyclidine

Abstract

To determine the effect of phencyclidine (a noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist) on expression of Bax and Bcl-2 (apoptosis-regulating proteins) in gerbil hippocampus after transient forebrain ischemia, brain sections were immunohistochemically evaluated 48, 72, 96 hand 7 days following ischemia. In ischemic control animals, the expression of Bax in CA 7 neurons was increased with time and peaked at 72 h, then disappeared at 96 h. In the phencyclidine (5 mg kg^-1 , intraperitoneally)-treated animals, the intensity of Bax expression at 72 h was weaker than that of ischemic control animals. Furthermore, at 96 h, Bax expression was still observed in CA1 neurons. No expression of Bcl-2 in the CA1 neurons was detected in either control or phencyclidine-treated animals. From these results, it is possible that NMDA receptor antagonists exert their preventive effect against delayed neuronal death through inhibition of Bax protein expression, although the precise relationship between the function of Bax protein and delayed neuronal death is still unclear. [Neural Res 1997; 19: 629-633]     

Decreased expression and impaired function of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in the rat hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia

In this study, we investigated whether transient cerebral ischemia affects the function and molecular expression of specific muscarinic cholinergic receptors. Our results show that in contrast to the GABA-B and A1 adenosine receptor systems, the ability of muscarinic receptors to attenuate evoked excitatory responses at vulnerable CA1 synapses is significantly attenuated by 18 h following reperfusion. This attenuation in efficacy was restricted to the vulnerable CA1 subfield, as no significant change in muscarinic receptor-mediated attenuation of evoked responsiveness was observed within post-ischemic dentate granule cell synapses. Expression analysis revealed that the mRNA and immunoreactive protein levels for individual types of muscarinic receptors respond differently and uniquely to transient cerebral ischemia insult. Of particular interest is the m4 subtype of receptor, whose mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly diminished within the hippocampus by 12 and 24 h following reperfusion, respectively. As the m4 muscarinic receptor localizes to presynaptic terminals within the hippocampus, a decrease in its expression could account for the impaired functional responsiveness of the muscarinic receptor system following ischemic insult. Taken together, these results demonstrate that transient forebrain ischemia leads to dynamic alterations in the gene expression, protein prevalence, and functionality of muscarinic receptors in the post-ischemic hippocampus at times preceding the degeneration of the vulnerable neurons.     

Autoradiographic analysis of second-messenger systems in the gerbil hippocampus following repeated brief ischemic insults.

Using [3H]inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3), [3H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) and [3H]forskolin, we performed quantitative autoradiography to determine sequential alterations in second-messenger systems in the gerbil hippocampus following repeated brief ischemic insults. Changes following three 2-min ischemic insults were compared with those following single 2- or 6-min ischemia. [3H]IP3 binding was extremely sensitive to ischemic insult, and more than 80% of the binding sites were lost after destruction of CA1 pyramidal cells following 6-min ischemia and three 2-min ischemic insults. Furthermore, a 30% reduction was observed after 2-min ischemia which leads to no neuronal loss. [3H]PDBu binding in the CA1 subfield decreased by 1 day after three 2-min ischemic insults and by 4 days after 6-min ischemia, and 40-50% reductions were observed at 1 month. In contrast, [3H]forskolin binding was relatively preserved. [3H]PDBu and [3H]forskolin binding transiently increased early in the reperfusion period. We also observed a difference in the pattern and severity of alterations between repeated ischemic insults and single ischemia.     

Neuroprotective effect of sodium orthovanadate on delayed neuronal death after transient forebrain ischemia in gerbil hippocampus.

In transient forebrain ischemia, sodium orthovanadate as well as insulinlike growth factor-1 (IGF-1) rescued cells from delayed neuronal death in the hippocampal CA1 region. Adult Mongolian gerbils were subjected to 5-minute forebrain ischemia. Immunoblotting analysis with anti-phospho-Akt/PKB (Akt) antibody showed that phosphorylation of Akt at serine-473 (Akt-Ser-473) in the CA1 region decreased immediately after reperfusion, and in turn transiently increased 6 hours after reperfusion. The decreased phosphorylation of Akt-Ser-473 was not observed in the CA3 region. The authors then tested effects of intraventricular injection of orthovanadate and IGF-1, which are known to activate Akt. Treatment with orthovanadate or IGF-1 30 minutes before ischemia blocked delayed neuronal death in the CA1 region. The neuroprotective effects of orthovanadate and IGF-1 were associated with preventing decreased Akt-Ser-473 phosphorylation in the CA1 region observed immediately after reperfusion. Immunohistochemical studies with the anti-phospho-Akt-Ser-473 antibody also demonstrated that Akt was predominantly in the nucleus and was moderately activated in the cell bodies and dendrites of pyramidal neurons after orthovanadate treatment. The orthovanadate treatment also prevented the decrease in phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Pretreatment with combined blockade of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and MAPK pathways totally abolished the orthovanadate-induced neuroprotective effect. These results suggest that the activation of both Akt and MAPK activities underlie the neuroprotective effects of orthovanadate on the delayed neuronal death in the CA1 region after transient forebrain ischemia.