Enhancement of persistent Na+ current by sea anemone toxin (ATX II) exerts dual action on hippocampal excitability

We used anemone toxin II (ATX II) to study how a selective enhancement of persistent Na+ current (INaP) would affect the excitability of CA1 pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal slice. In whole-cell recordings from CA1 cell somata, local application of ATX II (10 microM) into the stratum pyramidale invariably depolarized the neurons and produced sustained burst discharges with depolarizing plateau potentials of variable amplitude and length. However, the strong excitatory action of ATX II, observed on the single cell level, was not mirrored in field potential recordings from the same hippocampal subfield. The amplitude of the electrically evoked population spike declined, reflecting the decreased availability of fast Na+ channels, and the intracellulary recorded burst discharges were not detected by the field electrode. The lacking synchronization of cellular bursting activity was seen during both local and bath application of ATX II, suggesting that the toxin, in addition to promoting burst discharges of individual neurons, simultaneously dampens network excitability. In fact, ATX II reduced afferent fibre volleys (reflecting axonal excitability) and field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) in a similar fashion. As the expression of different Na+ channel subtypes appears to be compartmentalized within hippocampal neurons, we propose that point mutations leading to pathologically enhanced INaP might exert quite opposite effects, depending on the type and location of the Na+ channel affected. Whereas alterations of somatodendritic Na+ channels would give rise to bursting activity, alterations of axonal Na+ channels would primarily decrease network excitability.     

Fear conditioning in C57/BL/6 and DBA/2 mice: variability in nucleus accumbens function according to the strain predisposition to show contextual- or cue-based responding

The contribution of the nucleus accumbens shell, the dorsal hippocampus, and the basolateral amygdala to contextual and explicit cue fear conditioning was assessed in C57BL/6 (C57) and DBA/2 (DBA) mice showing differences in processing contextual information associated with consistent but non-pathological variations in hippocampal functionality. Mice from both strains with bilateral ibotenic acid or sham lesions located in each area were introduced in a conditioning chamber and exposed twice to the pairing of a tone (2 x 8 s, 2000 Hz, 80 dB) with a shock (2 s, 0.7 mA). On the following day, mice were first exposed to the training context then to the tone in a different context. Freezing behaviour was scored in all situations. C57 showed more freezing to the context than to the tone whereas DBA showed more freezing to the tone than to the context. In C57, both nucleus accumbens and hippocampal lesions impaired acquisition of contextual fear conditioning but paradoxically improved acquisition of cue fear conditioning, whereas amygdala lesions disrupted performance in every task. In DBA, nucleus accumbens lesions, like amygdala lesions, impaired acquisition of both contextual and cue fear conditioning, whereas hippocampal lesions did not produce any effect. The parallelism between the effect of nucleus accumbens and hippocampus lesions in C57, and between the effect of nucleus accumbens and amygdala lesions in DBA points to a variability in nucleus accumbens function according to the strain specialization to develop context- or cue-based responding.     

Generation and propagation of 4-AP-induced epileptiform activity in neonatal intact limbic structures in vitro

We examined the generation, propagation and pharmacology of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP)-induced epileptiform activity (EA) in the intact interconnected limbic structure of the newborn (P0-7) rat in vitro. Whole-cell recordings of CA3 pyramidal cells and multisite field potential recordings in CA3, CA1, dentate gyrus, and lateral and medial entorhinal cortex revealed 4-AP-induced EA as early as P0-1. At this age, EA was initiated in the CA3 region and propagated to CA1, but not to the entorhinal cortex. Starting from P3-4, EA propagated from CA3 to the entorhinal cortex. Along the CA3 septo-temporal axis, EA arose predominantly from the septal pole and spread towards the temporal site. Whereas the onset of 4-AP-induced EA decreased with age from 21.2 +/- 1.6 min at P0-1 to 4.7 +/- 0.63 min at P6-7, the seizure duration increased in the same age groups from 98 +/- 14 s to 269.4 +/- 85.9 s, respectively. The EA was blocked by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) but not by DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV), (+)-MK-801 hydrogen maleate (MK-801) or (+/-)-alpha-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine (MCPG), suggesting that they were mediated by alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA)/kainate receptor activation. We conclude that: (i) the septal pole of the hippocampal CA3 region plays a central role in the generation of EA in the neonatal limbic system; and (ii) AMPA/kainate receptor-mediated EA can be generated in CA3 already at birth. Therefore, the recurrent collateral synapses and circuits required for the generation of EA are developed earlier than previously suggested on the basis of studies on hippocampal slices.     

3-硝基丙酸预处理诱导沙土鼠脑缺血耐受与海马星形胶质细胞的激活

目的：探讨海马区星形胶质细胞的激活与3－硝基丙酸（3－NPA）预处理诱导脑缺血耐受的关系。方法：阻断沙土鼠双侧颈总动脉造成前脑缺血模型，通过HE染色和免疫组化观察海马锥体细胞死亡和星形胶质细胞的反应。结果：对照组海马CA1区已失去正常结构，锥体细胞大部分丧失，存活神经元计数显低于假手术组。3－NPA预处理组存活神经元减少，但高于对照组，假手术组海马CA1区仅见少量胶质原纤维酸性蛋白（GFAP）阳性细胞，染色较弱，突起不明显，对照组海马CA1区GFAP阳性细胞增多，多为弱阳性。3－NPA预处理组海马CA1区GFAP阳性细胞数目明显增多，染色较深，突起增粗。结论：星形胶质细胞形态和机能的改变可能与3－硝基丙酸预处理诱导脑缺血耐受有关。     

5-HT2C受体对孵育海马脑片释放分泌型淀粉样前体蛋白的调节

目的考察5-HT_2C受体对孵育海马脑片释放分泌型淀粉样前体蛋白(sAPP)的调节。方法应用5-HT\,特异性5-HT_2C受体激动剂M-110及其特异性拮抗剂L-107孵育海马脑薄片,及Western blot技术和特异性的针对sAPP氨基末端的单克隆抗体22C11检测释放到孵育液中的sAPP。结果5-HT及特异性5-HT_2C受体激动剂M-110在一定的浓度范围内呈浓度依赖性地显著增加sAPP分泌;而特异性5-HT_2C受体拮抗剂L-107在一定的浓度范围内则浓度依赖性地显著抑制sAPP分泌。结论5-HT通过激活5-HT_2C受体调节孵育海马脑片分泌型淀粉样前体蛋白的释放。     

定志小丸对抑郁模型大鼠海马神经干细胞Nestin表达的影响

目的观察定志小丸对抑郁大鼠海马神经干细胞的影响.方法采用慢性不可预见性应激造成大鼠抑郁模型,Openfield法测定行为学,HE染色观察海马神经元形态学,免疫组织化学技术检测Nestin表达.结果抑郁模型大鼠的行为学得分明显降低,海马神经元数量减少,形态异常,Nestin表达少,而定志小丸组海马神经元数量和形态无明显变化,Nestin表达增加.结论定志小丸对海马神经元具有保护作用,能够诱导神经干细胞增殖.     

Impairment in short-term but enhanced long-term synaptic potentiation and ERK activation in adult hippocampal area CA1 following developmental thyroid hormone insufficiency.

Thyroid hormones are critical for the development and maturation of the central nervous system. Insufficiency of thyroid hormones during development impairs performance on tasks of learning and memory that rely upon the hippocampus and impairs synaptic function in young hypothyroid animals. The present study was designed to determine if perturbations in synaptic function persist in adult euthyroid animals exposed developmentally to insufficient levels of hormone. Pre- and postnatal thyroid hormone insufficiency was induced by administration of 3 or 10 ppm propylthiouracil (PTU) to pregnant and lactating dams via the drinking water from gestation day (GD) 6 until postnatal day (PN) 30. This regimen produced a graded level of hormonal insufficiency in the dam and the offspring. Population spike and population excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSP) were recorded at the pyramidal cell layer and the stratum radiatum, respectively, in area CA1 of hippocampal slices from adult male offspring. PTU exposure increased baseline synaptic transmission, reduced paired-pulse facilitation, and increased the magnitude of the population spike long-term potentiation (LTP). Phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1 and ERK2) was increased as a function of LTP stimulation in slices from PTU-exposed adult animals. On the other hand, no differences in the basal levels of synaptic proteins implicated in synaptic plasticity (total ERK, synapsin, growth-associated protein-43, and neurogranin) were detected. These results reinforce previous findings of persistent changes in synaptic function and, importantly extend these observations to moderate levels of thyroid hormone insufficiency that do not induce significant toxicity to the dams or the offspring. Such alterations in hippocampal synaptic function may contribute to persistent behavioral deficits associated with developmental hypothyroidism.     

Quantitative volumetric analyses of brain magnetic resonance imaging from rat with chronic neuroinflammation

Brain inflammation may have a pathogenic role in many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. In the present study, we investigated the effects of chronic neuroinflammation upon anatomical changes in two regions of interest in the temporal lobe using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging techniques. We show that chronic infusion of lipopolysaccharide into the fourth ventricle for 4 consecutive weeks enlarged the lateral ventricles and significantly decreased the size of the hippocampal formation and the temporal lobe region. These changes are comparable to those observed in humans during the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.     

缺锌大鼠海马胆囊收缩素和一氧化氮合酶阳性细胞数目的变化

目的　观察缺锌对海马胆囊收缩素 (CCK)和一氧化氮合酶 (NOS)阳性细胞数的影响及其与动物行为变化的关系 ,研究缺锌对学习记忆影响的机制。方法　通过管饲低锌液体饲料复制缺锌大鼠模型。二周后 ,使用Y 迷宫实验检测动物学习记忆能力 ;采用ABC免疫组化法和NADPH d组化检测海马各区CCK和NOS阳性细胞数目。结果　与对照组相比 ,缺锌大鼠学习记忆能力明显下降 (P <0 0 5 ) ;缺锌大鼠血清锌水平明显降低 (P <0 0 5 ) ,但海马锌含量未见明显改变 ;缺锌大鼠海马CA1区和CA3区CCK和NOS阳性细胞数目均明显减少。结论　缺锌导致海马CA1和CA3区CCK和NOS阳性细胞数目减少可能是缺锌影响脑学习记忆功能的重要机制之一     

牛磺酸锌对染铅大鼠海马NOS活性和nNOS蛋白及基因表达的影响

目的:探讨不同剂量牛磺酸锌(TZC)拮抗铅对大鼠海马一氧化氮合酶(NOS)活性和神经元型一氧化氮合酶(nNOS)蛋白及基因表达的损害。方法:用NADPH-黄递酶(NADPH-d)组化、ABC免疫组化和半定量逆转录-聚合酶链式反应(RT-PCR)法,研究饮用含0.2 g/L醋酸铅(PbAc)饮水和含不同剂量(5.9、17.7g/kg)TZC饲料喂养的大鼠海马NOS活性、nNOS阳性神经元数目以及nNOS基因表达的变化。结果:与对照组大鼠海马CA1区NOS、nNOS阳性神经元数(56.80±6.69,60.67±13.48)和海马nNOS mRNA相对含量(0.454±0.045)相比,染铅组大鼠海马CA1区NOS、nNOS阳性神经元数(42.60±6.1 7,46.67±9.04)和海马nNOS mRNA相对含量(0.071±0.025)明显减少(P<0.05)。而铅加5.9 g/kg TZC 组大鼠海马CA1区NOS、nNOS阳性神经元数(61.60±7.30,56.87±6.64)和海马nNOSmRNA相对含量(0.412±0.061)均较染铅组明显增加(P<0.05)。铅加牛磺酸(Tau)组和铅加17.7 g/kgTZC组海马nNOS mRNA相对含量(0.138±0.026和0.137±0.019)较染铅组明显增加(P<0.05)。各组大鼠海马齿状回NOS和nNOS阳性细胞数的变化与CA1区变化基本一致,而CA3区无明显差别。结论:5.9 g/kg TZC能明显增强慢性染铅大鼠海马NOS活性和nNOS蛋白及基因表达。