Expression of glutamine synthetase and glutamate dehydrogenase in the latent phase and chronic phase in the kainate model of temporal lobe epilepsy

It has been suggested that astrocytic glutamate release or perturbed glutamate metabolism contributes to the proneness to epileptic seizures. Here we investigated whether astrocytic contents of the major glutamate degrading enzymes glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) decreases on moving from the latent phase (prior to seizures) to the chronic phase (after onset of seizures) in the kainate (KA) model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Western blotting and immunogold analysis of hippocampal formation indicated similar levels of GDH in the latent and chronic phases of KA injected rats and in corresponding controls. In contrast, the level of GS was increased in the latent phase compared with controls, as assessed by Western blots of whole hippocampal formation and subregions. The increase in GS paralleled that of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Compared with the latent phase, the chronic phase revealed a lower level of GS (approaching control levels) but an unchanged GFAP content. The decrease in GS from latent to chronic phase was significant in whole hippocampal formation, dentate gyrus and CA3. It is concluded that kainate treated rats show an initial increase in GS, pari passu with the increase in GFAP, and a secondary decrease in GS that is not accompanied by a similar loss of GFAP. In a situation where glutamate catabolism is in high demand the secondary reduction in GS level may be sufficient to contribute to the seizure proneness that develops between the latent and chronic phases.     

Vascular endothelial growth factor (vascular permeability factor) expression in injured rat brain

We investigated the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/vascular permeability factor (VPF) in stab and freeze brain injury models in rats. Immunohistochemical staining with anti-VEGF antibodies demonstrated an increase in VEGF-positive cells in and around both lesions. Morphologically, the injury-induced VEGF-positive cells resembled astrocytes. Double immunofluorescent staining for the astrocytic marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and VEGF demonstrated directly that VEGF-positive cells which appeared in response to these injuries were astrocytes. VEGF expression in astrocytes was maximal on days 3 and 4 after injury in terms of both cell number and affected area. The increase in VEGF-positive cells was more widespread in the freeze lesion than in the stab wound, and occurred in both the lesioned and nonlesioned hemispheres. VEGF-positive cells were still present 3 weeks after both injuries, but their numbers were reduced and their distribution became limited to the immediate vicinity of the lesions. These observations indicate that astrocytes react to injury by increasing VEGF expression, suggesting that VEGF might participate in the central nervous system response to injury. J. Neurosci. Res. 49:451–460, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Lack of NG2 exacerbates neurological outcome and modulates glial responses after traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability. The underlying pathophysiology is characterized by secondary processes including neuronal death and gliosis. To elucidate the role of the NG2 proteoglycan we investigated the response of NG2‐knockout mice (NG2‐KO) to TBI. Seven days after TBI behavioral analysis, brain damage volumetry and assessment of blood brain barrier integrity demonstrated an exacerbated response of NG2‐KO compared to wild‐type (WT) mice. Reactive astrocytes and expression of the reactive astrocyte and neurotoxicity marker Lcn2 (Lipocalin‐2) were increased in the perilesional brain tissue of NG2‐KO mice. In addition, microglia/macrophages with activated morphology were increased in number and mRNA expression of the M2 marker Arg1 (Arginase 1) was enhanced in NG2‐KO mice. While TBI‐induced expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokine genes was unchanged between genotypes, PCR array screening revealed a marked TBI‐induced up‐regulation of the C‐X‐C motif chemokine 13 gene Cxcl13 in NG2‐KO mice. CXCL13, known to attract immune cells to the inflamed brain, was expressed by activated perilesional microglia/macrophages seven days after TBI. Thirty days after TBI, NG2‐KO mice still exhibited more pronounced neurological deficits than WT mice, up‐regulation of Cxcl13, enhanced CD45+ leukocyte infiltration and a relative increase of activated Iba‐1+/CD45+ microglia/macrophages. Our study demonstrates that lack of NG2 exacerbates the neurological outcome after TBI and associates with abnormal activation of astrocytes, microglia/macrophages and increased leukocyte recruitment to the injured brain. These findings suggest that NG2 may counteract neurological deficits and adverse glial responses in TBI. GLIA 2016;64:507–523     

MK801 induces late regional increases in NMDA and kainate receptor binding in rat brain

Summary We have previously shown that a single dose of PCP produces a dose-related increase in NMDA-sensitive³H-glutamate binding in CA₁ of hippocampus 24 hours later, and some regional changes in kainate binding. Here we report that dizocilpine (MK 801) (O.1 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg), a selective agonist at the PCP receptor and a noncompetitive antagonist of NMDA, produces a similar increase in NMDA-sensitive glutamate and kainate receptor binding in hippocampus 24 hours after a dose. These observations support the conclusion that blockade of glutamate-mediated transmission at the NMDA receptor selectively increases NMDA-sensitive glutamate receptor binding in CA₁ of hippocampus and kainate binding in CA₃ and dentate gyrus at putatively delayed time points. Several additional areas outside of hippocampus also showed receptor changes at 24 hours after MK801.     

恶性星形胶质瘤中转录因子的表达异常

目的研究人类星形胶质瘤中转录因子(TF)的表达异常.方法用cDNA微阵列方法研究人类正常大脑和星形胶质瘤中转录因子的表达.共3个标本标本1混合了3例三级星形胶质瘤,标本2混合了2例四级星形胶质瘤(胶质母细胞瘤,GBM),标本3为对照,混合了4例正常大脑组织.33p标记的cDNA与带有14 000个cDNA片断的微阵列膜杂交,通过比较肿瘤标本和对照标本的光密度来分析各基因,相差2倍以上被认为表达有差异.结果普查了109个转录因子.GBM标本中转录因子的表达高于三级胶质瘤(表达比率为1.33±0.28和1.10±0.16,P＜0.001).在2个肿瘤标本中共有13个异常表达的转录因子.在三级胶质瘤中有4个上调基因和1个下调基因,在GBM中有6个上调基因和5个下调基因.转录因子ⅡB在2个标本中均下调(三级胶质瘤中为0.21倍,GBM中为0.28倍).有2个因子在2个标本中均上调,它们为HMGI-C(分别为2.17倍和4.13倍),和基本转录因子2(BTF2)63kDa亚单位(分别为2.81倍和2.69倍).结论在三级胶质瘤和GBM中有转录因子的异常表达.TFⅡB、HMGI-C、BTF2 63kDa亚单位是进一步研究的目标.     

Astrogliosis in culture: III. Effect of recombinant retrovirus expressing antisense glial fibrillary acidic protein RNA

Injury to the central nervous system (CNS) either from trauma or due to demyelinating/degenerating diseases results in a typical response of astrocytes, termed astrogliosis. This reaction is characterized by astrocyte proliferation, extensive hypertrophy of nuclei, cell body, and cytoplasmic processes and an increase in immunodetectable glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). GFAP accumulation may cause a physical barrier preventing the reestablishment of a functional environment. Our studies have aimed at modulating astrogliosis by inhibiting or delaying GFAP synthesis in damaged and reactive astrocytes. The present study investigates the use of a recombinant retrovirus expressing antisense GFAP RNA in controlling the response of mechanically injured astrocytes. A 650 bp fragment from the coding region of mouse GFAP cDNA was cloned in the antisense orientation under the control of long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter of Moloney murine leukemia virus. Increase in GFAP as detected by immunocytochemical staining in injured astrocytes was inhibited by treatment with retrovirus expressing antisense GFAP RNA. Also, astrocytes at the site of injury in these scratched cultures did not show cell body hypertrophy compared to control cultures. These observations demonstrate that the increase in GFAP at the site of injury can be inhibited using retroviral treatment and indicate the potential of retrovirus-mediated gene transfer in modulating scar formation in the CNS in vivo. These studies also shed light on the role of GFAP in maintaining the morphology of astrocytes. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Neuronal and astrocyte expression of nicotinic receptor subunit beta4 in the adult mouse brain

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) expression and function are customized in different brain regions through assembling receptors from closely related but genetically distinct subunits. Immunohistochemical analysis of one of these subunits, nAChRbeta4, in the mouse brain suggests an extensive and potentially diverse role for this subunit in both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission. Prominent immunostaining included: 1) the medial habenula, efferents composing the fasciculus retroflexus, and the interpeduncular nucleus; 2) nuclei and ascending tracts of the auditory system inclusive of the medial geniculate; 3) the sensory cortex barrel field and cell bodies of the ventral thalamic nucleus; 4) olfactory-associated structures and the piriform cortex; and 5) sensory and motor trigeminal nuclei. In the hippocampus, nAChRbeta4 staining was limited to dendrites and soma of a subset of glutamic acid dehydrogenase-positive neurons. In C57BL/6 mice, but to a lesser extent in C3H/J, CBA/J, or CF1 mice, a subpopulation of astrocytes in the hippocampal CA1 region prominently expressed nAChRbeta4 (and nAChRalpha4). Collectively, these results suggest that the unique functional and pharmacological properties exerted by nAChRbeta4 on nAChR function could modify and specialize the development of strain-specific sensory and hippocampal-related characteristics of nicotine sensitivity including the development of tolerance.     

Compromised blood–brain barrier competence in remote brain areas in ischemic stroke rats at the chronic stage

Stroke is a life‐threatening disease leading to long‐term disability in stroke survivors. Cerebral functional insufficiency in chronic stroke might be due to pathological changes in brain areas remote from the initial ischemic lesion, i.e., diaschisis. Previously, we showed that the damaged blood–brain barrier (BBB) was involved in subacute diaschisis. The present study investigated BBB competence in chronic diaschisis by using a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) rat model. Our results demonstrated significant BBB damage mostly in the ipsilateral striatum and motor cortex in rats at 30 days after tMCAO. The BBB alterations were also determined in the contralateral hemisphere via ultrastructural and immunohistochemical analyses. Major BBB pathological changes in contralateral remote striatum and motor cortex areas included 1) vacuolated endothelial cells containing large autophagosomes, 2) degenerated pericytes displaying mitochondria with cristae disruption, 3) degenerated astrocytes and perivascular edema, 4) Evans blue extravasation, and 5) appearance of parenchymal astrogliosis. Discrete analyses of striatal and motor cortex areas revealed significantly higher autophagosome accumulation in capillaries of ventral striatum and astrogliosis in dorsal striatum in both cerebral hemispheres. These widespread microvascular alterations in ipsilateral and contralateral brain hemispheres suggest persistent and/or continued BBB damage in chronic ischemia. The pathological changes in remote brain areas likely indicate chronic ischemic diaschisis, which should be considered in the development of treatment strategies for stroke. J. Comp. Neurol. 522:3120–3137, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Selective toxicity of the general anesthetic propofol for GABAergic neurons in rat brain cell cultures

The intravenous, short-acting general anesthetic propofol was applied to three-dimensional (aggregating) cell cultures of fetal rat telencephalon. Both the clinically used formulation (Disoprivan®, ICI Pharmaceuticals, Cheshire, England) and the pure form (2,6-diisopropylphenol) were tested at two different periods of brain development: immature brain cell cultures prior to synaptogenesis and at the time of intense synapses and myelin formation. At both time periods and for clinically relevant concentrations and time of exposure (i.e., concentrations ≤2.0 μg/ml for 8 hr), propofol caused a significant decrease of glutamic acid decarboxylase activity. This effect persisted after removal of the drug, suggesting irreversible structural changes in GABAergic neurons. The gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA_A) blocking agents bicuculline and picrotoxin partially attenuated the neurotoxic effect of propofol in cultures treated at the more mature phase of development. This protective effect was not observed in the immature brain cells. The present data suggest that propofol may cause irreversible lesions to GABAergic neurons when given at a critical phase of brain development. In contrast, glial cells and myelin appeared resistant even to high doses of propofol. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

红藻氨酸诱发大鼠复杂部分性癫癎发作的海马神经元和星形胶质细胞反应及相互关系

目的:观察大鼠癫发作后海马内神经元与星形胶质细胞反应变化的时空效应及相互关系。方法:以红藻氨酸诱发的大鼠复杂部分性癫发作为模型,利用免疫组织化学法,在原位显示癫发作后153、0、60、901、20、180 min 6个时间点海马神经元Fos蛋白及星形胶质细胞内胶质原纤维酸性蛋白(GFAP)的表达变化、相互关系及分布规律。结果:致后15 min海马内GFAP表达开始增多,60 min达高峰。Fos阳性神经元在癫诱发后30 min开始出现,120 min达高峰。海马内GFAP阳性细胞与Fos阳性神经元分布规律基本一致。结论:在癫病理状态下,海马内星形胶质细胞的反应略早于神经元,两者之间分布呈平行关系,它们之间可能存在着复杂的信息通讯,以复合体的形式共同对各种病理生理刺激作出反应。