Regulation of peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors in cultured astrocytes by monoamine and amino acid neurotransmitters

Exposure of primary cultured astrocytes for 3 days to 1 μM of either dopamine, serotonin or norepinephrine resulted in upregulation (25–34% increase in B_max) of the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors (PBRs) labeled with [³H]Ro5-4864. A similar treatment with γ-aminobutyric acid [GABA] caused a 2-fold increase in the affinity (K_d) of [³H]Ro5-4864. The monoamines tested and GABA had no effect on the binding parameters of [³H]PK 11195, another selective PBR ligand. The present study indicates that Ro5-4864 binding sites are susceptible to regulation by specific neurotransmitters and provides further evidence for the distinction between Ro5-4864 and PK 11195 binding sites of the PBRs in cultured astrocytes.     

大鼠延髓内脏带与下丘脑室旁核、视上核往返投射通路参与高渗调节反应的研究

目的探讨延髓内脏带(MVZ)与下丘脑室旁核(PVN)和视上核(SON)之间是否存在往返渗透压投射通路。方法通过给予大鼠饮用3%氯化钠的方法制作高渗刺激模型,并用WGA-HRP逆行追踪、抗Fos、抗酪氨酸羟化酶(TH)或加压素(VP)及胶质纤维酸性蛋白(GFAP)免疫组织化学相结合的四重标记方法,观察MVZ、PVN和SON中WGA-HRP、Fos、TH、VP和GFAP阳性分布及表达状况。结果高渗刺激后MVZ、PVN和SON内Fos阳性细胞明显增多;GFAP阳性结构也明显增多,其分布与Fos阳性细胞分布基本一致,表现为胞体肥大、突起粗长。星形胶质细胞(AST)紧密包绕在神经元周围形成神经元-AST复合体(N-ASC)。结论神经元和AST以N-ASC的形式共同参与渗透压调节反应,体内存在MVZ和SON或PVN之间往返的渗透压调节通路。     

Early pathological changes in progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: a report of two asymptomatic cases occurring prior to the AIDS epidemic

Serial sections of formalin-fixed, paraffinembedded blocks from two asymptomatic, non-AIDS cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) were stained with a double-label immunocytochemical method for detection of glial fibrillary acidic protein and JC virus (JCV) capsid proteins and with luxol fast blue/hematoxylin-eosin. In case 1 small, rounded lesions of about 1-mm diameter were seen within a restricted area in the posterior part of the superior frontal gyrus of both cerebral hemispheres, suggesting an early manifestation of the disease. Fully developed demyelinated lesions of the classical type with JCV-infected oligodendrocytes appeared in the white matter and along its border with the cortex. Lesswell-developed lesions, believed to be precursors to the fully developed ones, were seen in the gray and white matter. Of special interest were areas which contained small collections of enlarged, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive astrocytes without capsid antigen and which seemed to lack destruction of myelin as judged from the appearance of matching serial sections stained for myelin. Large lesions in the brain of case 2 showed the well-known features of advanced PML. The close relation between some astrocytes and oligodendrocytes with viral antigen raises the possibility of early intercellular passage of virus. Vacuolation, seen within or near lesions in both cases, has previously been noted in the CNS infected by HIV, but not in PML. It is suggested that PML, a disease of both oligodendrocytes and astrocytes, may actually begin in astroglial cells which, under the influence of a restricted JCV infection, become reactive, express GFAP and pass on virus to the more highly susceptible oligodendrocytes with which they are in contact.Supported in part by a grant N.S.07596 from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The work was carried out in the Laboratory of Experimental Neurophathology, NINDS, and in the Department of Pathology II, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm     

Evidence that neurofibrillary tangles undergo glial modification

Summary Ghost tangles, neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) emerging into extracellular space, appear to be subjected to some microglial association in addition to an invasion of astrocytic processes. Our findings lead us to speculate that the NFTs undergo structural and immunocytochemical modification. Electron microscopic observation of the NFTs in the vascular region indicated either the discharge of NFTs into the vessel or formation of NFTs in the astrocytic end-foot.     

脑内缝隙连接

缝隙连接普遍存在于动物组织中，具有重要的生理功能。近年来，由于分子生物学等技术的应用，对许多组织的缝隙连接蛋白的特性及其功能的研究取得了很大进展。本文重点介绍脑内缝隙连接蛋白的类型，分布及其生物物理学和药理学特性，并阐述胶质细胞之间、神经元之间缝隙连接的作用，以及缝隙连接与脑发育和癫痫等神经系统疾病的关系。     

The development of glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive cells and the appearance of laminin-like immunoreactivity in fetal olfactory bulb transplants

Embryonic rat olfactory bulbs were transplanted into the site vacated by aspiration of an olfactory bulb from a neonatal rat. This paper presents our findings related to the development of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) positive (+ve) glial cells and the appearance of laminin-like immunoreactivity in these transplants. The GFAP + ve glial cells formed perivascular end-feet on the invading vasculature and formed a glia limitans along the glia surface of the transplant. This reconstituted glia limitans was continuous with that of the host brain, there being no glia limitans at the donor-host interface. Thus, the donor tissue was well-integrated with that of the host brain.     

二甲双胍通过AMPK/STAT3信号通路抑制星形胶质细胞的反应性

探讨二甲双胍对体外培养的大鼠脊髓星形胶质细胞反应性的作用及机制。方法 使用三因子（TNF-α、IL-1α、C1q）诱导产生反应性星形胶质细胞,RT-qPCR及Westernblot检测补体3（C3）的表达;使用5、10、20 mM浓度的二甲双胍处理,Westernblot检测星形胶质细胞中腺苷酸激活蛋白激酶（AMPK）与信号转导和转录激活因子3（STAT3）磷酸化水平;采用AMPK抑制剂Compound C处理,检测AMPK和STAT3磷酸化水平。结果 形态学及RT-qPCR结果显示：与对照组相比,三因子处理改变了星形胶质细胞形态并显著提高了C3的表达（P＜0.05）,表明成功建立反应性星形胶质细胞模型。RT-qPCR结果及Westernblot结果显示：与对照组相比,二甲双胍对C3表达有明显的抑制作用,呈现浓度依赖性（P＜0.05）。在诱导星形胶质细胞反应性过程中,与对照组相比,AMPK的磷酸化水平显著降低（P＜0.05）,使用不同浓度二甲双胍处理后,AMPK的磷酸化水平显著增加且呈浓度依赖性（P＜0.05）,同时信号传导及STAT3的磷酸化水平显著降低且呈浓度依赖性（P＜0.05）。AMPK抑制剂Compound C处理后显著抑制了二甲双胍导致的AMPK活性升高及STAT3活性降低,同时抑制了C3表达下调（P＜0.05）。结论 二甲双胍通过AMPK/STAT3信号通路抑制星形胶质细胞的反应性     

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 deficiency impairs host defense mechanisms against Streptococcus pneumoniae in a mouse model of bacterial meningitis

Recent reports of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection of astrocytes suggest a role for astrocytes in HIV encephalitis. In this study, we infected a human astrocytoma cell line with a pathogenic simian HIV (SHIV_50OLNV) and examined growth patterns and immunomodulatory genes. Approximately 1% of uninfected cells in culture expressed glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) whereas 40% of the cells expressed GFAP at 7 days post-inoculation along altered growth patterns. Using targeted cytokine cDNA arrays, we found that SHIV_50OLNV infection resulted in the up-regulation of several genes including metalloproteinase bone morphogenic protein 1 and chemokines monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 and stromal cell derived factor 1. These data suggest that astrocytic activation, altered morphology and up-regulation of immunomodulatory genes in response to SHIV infection may participate in initiation of inflammation and trafficking of infected monocytes/macrophages into the central nervous system, potentiating the development of HIV encephalitis.     

Cerebral ischemia induces transient intracellular redistribution and intranuclear translocation of the raf proto-oncogene product in hippocampal pyramidal cells

Summary In this report we describe changes in the intracellular redistribution of raf serine/threonine protein kinase (product of the raf proto-oncogene family) in hippocampal neurons following cerebral ischemia in Mongolian gerbils. For immunohistochemical localization studies polyclonal antisera specific for each of the A, B, and Raf-1 isotypes of raf, as well as a pan-raf antisera, were employed. Of these, only sera recognizing B-raf, as well as the general v-raf (raised against the conserved C-terminal region) were positive, indicating that B-raf is the major isotype in this neuronal region. Three different ischemie models were used (repeated 3 times for two min and single 5 or 15 min occlusions, of the common carotid arteries) to demonstrate that ischemie insult causes redistribution of raf protein kinase into the cell nucleus of hippocampal neurons. Increased amounts of raf protein in the nuclei of pyramidal cells following ischemia was confirmed by Western blot analysis of isolated nuclear fractionations. Moreover, an elevation in the level of nuclear raf protein also was detected in the contralateral (i.e. non-occluded hemisphere) neurons of CA1 and CA3 subfields 4 days after the ischemie insult indicating a possible transsynaptic increase in the amount of raf protein along with redistribution. The intranuclear translocation of the immunoreactive material started from the perinucleolar rim and with time extended throughout the nucleus. Enhanced levels and altered redistribution of the raf polypeptide in the nuclei of pyramidal cells of the CA3 subfleld appears to be reversible and returns to the normal level 12 days following the ischemic insult. In addition to triggering the above changes in the intracellular redistribution of raf, ischemie insult also caused an increase in the level of B-raf protein in reactive astrocytes.     

人胎儿中枢神经系统星形胶质细胞形态发育的观察

为观察人胎儿中枢神经系统星形胶质细胞形态发育。用胶质原纤维酸性蛋白抗体进行免疫组织化学染色。结果表明；１．以颈段脊髓，脑干，海马和小脑蚓部于胚胎２５周其ＧＦＡＰ染色强度，细胞密度接近出生时水平。而此时期大脑皮层Ａｓｔ密度约为出生时的四分之一。２．在同一胎龄ＣＮＳ的不同部位，ＧＦＡＰ阳性Ａｓｔ分布不均匀。３．Ａｓｔ不仅在毛细胞血管周围，而且在小血管周围密度大染色深，环绕血管呈辐射状排列。