大鼠腰髓背角星形胶质细胞及神经元对一侧胫、腓骨骨折的反应及其相互关系

目的 研究大鼠脊髓内星形胶质细胞及神经元对一侧胫、腓骨骨折的反应及相互关系。方法 应用细胞免疫组织化学方法，观察脊髓内胶质原纤维酸性蛋白(GFAP)、Fos蛋白双标记以及蛋白激酶C(PKC)在左侧胫、腓骨骨折后不同时程的表达变化。结果 1．左侧胫、腓骨骨折后，GFAP阳性反应产物主要分布于同侧腰髓背角的星形胶质细胞胞浆，Fos阳性产物在其胞核也有表达，且以浅层为主，神经元的胞核也有Fos阳性产物；2．Fos—LI神经元与GFAP／Fos-LI星形胶质细胞的分布基本一致，两者关系密切；3．GFAP／Fos—LI星形胶质细胞表达高峰期在骨折后45min，而Fos—LI神经元的表达高峰期在骨折后90min；PKC—LI星形胶质细胞出现及达到高峰的时间比PKC—LI神经元要早。结论 腰髓背角的星形胶质细胞参与了下肢骨折伤害性刺激的应激反应及调节过程，而且Fos—LI、PKC-LI的表达早于神经元，可能主动地影响神经元的活动。     

Spatio-temporally differential expression of genes for three members of fatty acid binding proteins in developing and mature rat brains

The chronological changes in the gene expression for three species of cytosolic fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) in the rat brain were examined by Northern and in situ hybridization analyses. The expression for heart(H)-FABP became evident after birth, with a gradual increase and confined to the gray matter, suggesting that the expression of H-FABP mRNA is neuron-specific in postnatal brain. The expression for brain(B)-FABP was very intense in the ventricular germinal zone, without expression in the cerebellar external granule cell layer, suggesting the dominant expression in the cells of glial lineage. B-FABP mRNA was transiently expressed in perinatal gray as well as white matter and the expression in glial cells persists only in the olfactory nerve fiber layer at the adult stage. On the other hand, the expression for skin type(S)-FABP was evident in the both ventricular germinal zone and cerebellar external granule cell layer, suggesting the expression in cells of neuronal lineage. The expression for S-FABP was evident in the prenatal gray matter and S-FABP mRNA was expressed in glial cells at early postnatal stage, whereafter the expression decreased to, but remained at weak levels in the adult brain. Discrete functions of the three FABPs were suggested in neurons and glia differentially at various developmental stages.     

Hyposmolarity-activated fluxes of taurine in astrocytes are mediated by diffusion

In order to obtain information about the mechanism responsible for swelling associated taurine release in astrocytes, the kinetics of taurine uptake in cultured astrocytes from mouse cerebral cortex was studied under isosmotic and hyposmotic (50% osmolarity) conditions. It was found that the V_max for the high affinity component of taurine uptake was unaffected by exposure of the astrocytes to hyposmotic conditions and that the K_m value was somewhat increased. Contrary to V_max, the non-saturable component of the uptake was greatly increased (2.5-fold) after exposure of the cells to hyposmotic media leading to cell swelling. In addition to the kinetic characterization of taurine uptake the actual intracellular taurine content after incubation (15 min) in isosmotic or hyposmotic media with different taurine concentrations (0–100 mM) under Na⁺-free conditions was determined. At taurine concentrations < 30 mM corresponding to the intracellular content in cells not exposed to taurine, exposure to hyposmotic media led to a decrease in the intracellular taurine content. At higher external taurine concentrations (> 30 mM) the intracellular taurine contents were dramatically increased after exposure to hyposmotic conditions. The increase in intracellular taurine seen under hyposmotic conditions at 100 mM external taurine could be significantly reduced by 100 μM DIDS (4,4′-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulfonate). Altogether these results suggest that a diffusional process rather than the high affinity taurine carrier is involved in the swelling induced increase in astrocytic taurine influx and efflux.     

天麻素对缺血再灌注损伤星形胶质细胞的保护作用及其对一氧化氮合成酶活性的影响

观察天麻素对脑缺血再灌注损伤星形胶质细胞胶原纤维酸性蛋白 (GFAP)表达、乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)漏出量以及一氧化氮合成酶 (NOS)活性的影响。结果 :天麻素大、小剂量组GFAP纤维样改变减轻 ,强阳性反应细胞数减少 ;LDH漏出量下降 ;NOS活性减弱。提示 :天麻素对模拟脑缺血再灌注损伤星形胶质细胞有良好的保护作用 ,其途径之一可能是通过抑制NOS活性的反应性增强来实现的。     

川芎嗪对大鼠局部脑缺血星形胶质细胞的影响

目的 :观察川芎嗪对缺血后神经元改变和星形胶质细胞GFAP表达的影响。方法 :制作大鼠单侧局灶性脑缺血模型 ,HE染色观察神经元的形态学改变 ,免疫组化染色观察星形胶质细胞GFAP表达的变化。结果 :川芎嗪可提高星形胶质细胞GFAP表达。结论 :川芎嗪对缺血神经元有保护作用     

Intracellular ATP depletion inhibits swelling-induced -[H]aspartate release from primary astrocyte cultures

Volume expansion-sensing outward rectifier (VSOR) anion channel, also referred to as volume-sensitive organic osmolyte-anion channel (VSOAC), appears to be responsible for cell swelling-induced amino acid release in a variety of cells. One prominent feature of the VSOR/VSOAC is that non-hydrolyzed intracellular ATP binding to the channel or an accessory protein is required for its activation. In this study, the effect of intracellular ATP depletion on the swelling-induced release of -[³H]aspartate from rat primary astrocyte cultures due to exposure to either high K⁺ or hypotonic media was studied. When the cells were pretreated for 10 min with a combination of the metabolic inhibitors 2-deoxyglucose and rotenone, 100 mM K⁺ media- or hypotonic media-induced -[³H]aspartate release was completely suppressed. Added separately, each inhibitor showed only partial or no inhibition of -[³H]aspartate release, which correlated with its relative effectiveness in decreasing intracellular ATP levels. These data are consistent with the view that during high [K⁺]_o or hypotonic media-induced swelling of primary astrocyte cultures an ATP-dependent swelling-activated VSOAC channel is responsible for -[³H]aspartate release and close to normal ATP is required for full channel activation.     

The pathogenesis and modulation of the post-treatment reactive encephalopathy in a mouse model of Human African Trypanosomiasis

Drug treatment of late-stage human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) in which the central nervous system (CNS) is involved may be complicated by a severe post-treatment reactive encephalopathy (PTRE) which can be fatal in up to 10% of cases. In order to understand the immunopathogenesis of this complication, an experimental mouse model has been developed that mirrors many of the pathological features of the PTRE in humans, and which allows various anti-inflammatory therapeutic regimes to be evaluated. Following the development of the PTRE in this model a number of cytokines are increased within the CNS including tumour necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, interleukins 1, 4 and 6, and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1. These cytokines appear at the same time as astrocyte activation which is an early event occurring before the development of the marked meningoencephalitic inflammatory response. The immunosuppressant drug azathioprine prevents but does not reduce the severity of an established PTRE and has a minimal effect on astrocyte activation. The ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor eflornithine prevents the induction, and ameliorates the severity, of the PTRE, and also reduces the degree of astrocyte activation. The Substance P antagonist RP-67,580 ameliorates the severity of an established PTRE, and also reduces astrocyte activation, indicating an important role of SP in the generation of the inflammatory response. Continued use of this mouse model should lead to further enhancement of our understanding of the pathogenesis of the PTRE and to improved drug regimes to prevent and/or treat it.     

酒精、乙醛对星形胶质细胞膜脂质流动性的影响

应用荧光偏振技术探讨酒精及其代谢产物乙醛对与神经细胞发育分化相关的星形胶质细胞膜脂质荧光偏振度（Ｐｒ）和流动度（ＬＦＵ）的影响。结果表明低剂量酒精、乙醛并不影响星形胶质细胞膜脂荧光偏振度和流动度,而在中剂量以上均可影响星形胶质细胞的Ｐｒ值,导致荧光偏振度降低,而细胞膜脂质流动度增高,均与酒精、乙醛剂量显著相关。同剂量酒精、乙醛对星形胶质细胞作用和流动度增加无显著性差异。但酒精、乙醛均可导致星形胶质细胞膜脂质流动性增加,致使细胞膜的结构改变。     

Immunohistochemical study on the distribution of Bcl-2 and Bax in the central nervous system of the transgenic mice expressing a human Cu/Zn SOD mutation

In the present study, we performed immunohistochemical studies to investigate the changes of Bcl-2 and Bax in the central nervous system of the transgenic mice expressing a human Cu/Zn SOD mutation. In contrast to the controls, a high density of Bcl-2-IR astrocytes were detected all around the gray matter of the spinal cord of the mutant transgenic mice. Bcl-2-IR astrocytes were also detected in the cerebellum and brainstem of transgenic mice. Specific immunoreactivity for Bax was seen in the spinal cord and brainstem of transgenic mice. Immunostaining for Bax was identified only in neurons and not in glial cells. Our present study demonstrated the distribution of Bcl-2 and Bax in detail using immunohistochemical methods through the central nervous system of the transgenic mice, for the first time.     

Differential regulation of ciliary neurotrophic factor and its receptor in the rat hippocampus following transient global ischemia

To investigate a potential role of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) in transient global ischemia, we have studied the postischemic regulatory changes in the expression of CNTF and its receptor, the ligand-binding alpha-subunit (CNTFRalpha). Immunoblot analysis demonstrated CNTF levels were slightly upregulated already during the first day after ischemia and then increased markedly by more than 10-fold until 2 weeks postischemia. Immunoreactivity for CNTF became detectable 1 day after ischemia and was localized in reactive astrocytes. The intensity of the immunolabeling was maximal in CA1 during the phase of neuronal cell death (days 3-7 postischemia) and in the deafferented inner molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. Upregulation of CNTF expression was less pronounced in CA3 and absent in the stratum lacunosum moleculare and the outer molecular layer of the dentate gyrus and thus did not simply correlate with astroliosis as represented by upregulation of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). As shown by in situ hybridization, expression of CNTFRalpha mRNA was restricted to neurons of the pyramidal cell and granule cell layers in control animals. Following ischemia, reactive astrocytes, identified by double labeling with antibodies to GFAP, transiently expressed CNTFRalpha mRNA with a maximum around postischemic day 3. This astrocytic response was most pronounced in CA1 and in the hilar part of CA3. These results show that CNTF and its receptor are differentially regulated in activated astrocytes of the postischemic hippocampus, indicating that they are involved in the regulation of astrocytic responses and the neuronal reorganizations occurring after an ischemic insult.