The effects of d-cycloserine and MK-801 on the performance of rats in two spatial learning and memory tasks

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of modulation of the http://binary-services.sciencedirect.com/content/image/1-s2.0-0924977X9580004L-si1.gif"> (NMDA) receptor on learning and memory. Thus, the performance of rats treated with d-cycloserine, a partial agonist at the glycine recognition site of the NMDA receptor complex, and MK-801, a noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist, either alone or concurrently were assessed in radial arm maze and water maze tasks. Administration of MK-801 (0.1 mg/kg, i.p.) impaired acquisition in the water maze (increased escape latency and distance) and working memory in the radial arm maze (increased re-entries) in rats. Moreover, in the radial arm maze, MK-801 disrupted locomotion (increased latencies and decreased arm entries per minute) and impaired the acquisition of reference memory (increased number of errors) performance of rats. d-Cycloserine (0.03, 0.3, 1.0, 3.0, 10 mg/kg, i.p.) had no effects on acquisition or memory performance of control or MK-801-treated rats in either of these tasks. However, d-cycloserine (0.03, 0.3, 3.0 mg/kg) reversed the MK-801-induced disruption in locomotion. Furthermore, 3.0 mg/kg d-cycloserine increased behavioral activity and also decreased the time needed to complete the task in control animals. To conclude, our results suggest that the consequences of NMDA receptor modulation on learning and memory processes and sensorimotor functions may be functionally different or have distinct anatomical locations.     

Acute interactions between -DOPA and the neurotoxic effects of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium or 6-hydroxydopamine in mice

We have compared the effects of an i.p. pretreatment with L-DOPA (200 mg/kg) associated with benserazide (25 mg/kg) on neurotoxic effects of either 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) (50 microg, 10 microl per mouse) or 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) (17.5 microg, 10 microl per mouse). The striatal dopamine (DA) content, the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT2) density, as well as the hypothalamic norepinephrine (NE) content were measured 8 days after treatments. The L-DOPA-benserazide pretreatment worsened by 65% the 6-OHDA-induced depletion in striatal DA. On the contrary, it reduced by 42% the MPP+-induced depletion in striatal DA and by 54% the MPP+-induced decrease in VMAT2 density. It was noticed that the L-DOPA-benserazide pretreatment did not modify the marked decrease in hypothalamic NE content induced by 6-OHDA.     

Ginkgo biloba extract EGb761 reduces the development of amphetamine-induced behavioral sensitization: effects on hippocampal type II corticosteroid receptors

Pretreatment of rats with the extract of Ginkgo biloba termed EGb761 reduced the behavioral sensitization induced by successive http://www.sciencedirect.com/cache/MiamiImageURL/B6SYR-3VM7BT2-H-B/0?wchp=dGLzVlb-zSkWz" alt="Image" title="Image" style="vertical-align:bottom" border="0" height=11 width="16"/> -amphetamine administrations (0.5 mg/kg) as estimated by increasing values of locomotor activity. EGb761 pretreatment also prevented the reduced density of [³H]dexamethasone binding sites in the dentate gyrus and the CA1 hippocampal regions of http://www.sciencedirect.com/cache/MiamiImageURL/B6SYR-3VM7BT2-H-B/0?wchp=dGLzVlb-zSkWz" alt="Image" title="Image" style="vertical-align:bottom" border="0" height=11 width="16"/> -amphetamine treated animals. These observations suggest that EGb761, by reducing glucocorticoid levels, could modulate the activity of the neuronal systems involved in the expression of the behavioral sensitization.     

Cellular distribution of the NMDA receptor subunit NMDAR1 in fetal ventral mesencephalon transplants in the dopamine-depleted striatum of a rat

Immunohistochemistry was performed to demonstrate the cellular distribution of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunit NMDAR1 in the intrastriatal grafts of a rat model of Parkinson's disease. Unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions of the mesostriatal pathway were produced in young adult female rats. Neural transplantation was performed with fetal ventral mesencephalon (VM) tissue (at embryonic day 15) 3 weeks after the 6-OHDA lesions. In the fetal VM in which the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity was intensely observed, no NMDAR1 subunit immunoreactivity was detected. Immunopositive cells of NMDAR1 were densely distributed in the intact SNc contralateral to the lesions, in which intense immunoreactivity for TH was observed. In contrast, the cells positive for NMDAR1 in the SNr were scattered. The immunoreactivity for NMDAR1 was markedly decreased in the SNc, but not in the SNr on the lesioned side. Double immunostaining revealed that most TH-positive cells in the SNc showed moderate NMDAR1 immunoreactivity. Within the intrastriatal fetal VM grafts containing TH-positive cells, NMDAR1-positive cells tended to locate homogeneously within the grafts. These were composed of various cell sizes and shapes, but they were mainly medium-sized and aspiny cells. Double immunostaining revealed that a part of the TH-positive cells in the grafts was also immunopositive for NMDAR1. Taken together with our previous studies, it is suggested that both dopaminergic neurons and nondopaminergic neurons in the VM transplants appear to be modified functionally by glutamatergic afferents via various glutamate receptors, including NMDAR1.     

Depression of long term potentiation in gerbil hippocampus following postischemic hypothermia

To investigate the mechanism of chronic cell death following postischemic hypothermia, the change of N-methyl-http://www.sciencedirect.com/cache/MiamiImageURL/B6SYR-40T9GMF-T-8/0?wchp=dGLzVzb-zSkWz" alt="Image" title="Image" style="vertical-align:bottom" border="0" height=11 width="16"/> -aspartate receptor (NMDAR) were examined by immunohistochemistry of NMDAR1 and long-term potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 subfield of the gerbil hippocampus. At 1 week following postischemic hypothermia (32°C×4 h), all CA1 neurons survived; however, immunoreactivity of NMDAR1 increased in neuronal perikarya whereas decreased in dendrites in the CA1 neurons. The abnormality was still observed in remaining CA1 neurons at 1 month after hypothermia. LTP was also significantly depressed at 1 week after hypothermia. These results suggest that some abnormalities in the glutamate receptor may be caused by ischemia; such abnormality would persist in spite of hypothermia treatment, resulting in the depression of LTP.     

Modulation of dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde extracellular levels in vivo in the rat striatum after different kinds of pharmacological treatment

We recently identified the direct product of dopamine (DA) by monoamine-oxidase (MAO) activity, dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPALD) in the trans-striatal dialysate. Based on these findings, in this work, we directly measured the variations in DOPALD levels after various kinds of pharmacological treatment in rat striatal extracellular fluid. Using both reversible and irreversible MAO inhibitors, we found that MAO-A inhibition suppressed, whereas MAO-B inhibition did not modify DOPALD levels in the dialysate. The vesicular DA uptake blocker Ro 4-1284 led to an increase in extracellular DA and DOPALD, whereas the increase in extracellular DA obtained after administration of the plasma membrane DA uptake blocker GBR-12909 occurred without concomitant changes in DOPALD extracellular levels. Microinfusions of DA through the dialysis probe or systemic administration of L-DOPA increased striatal DOPALD to a greater extent compared with other DA metabolites, both in intact and in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned striatum. This study indicates that the direct product of MAO activity within the rat striatum derives from the activity of the isoenzyme MAO-A. The assay of DOPALD, together with DOPAC, represents a reliable tool to measure directly, in freely moving animals, DA oxidative metabolism. As recent studies have shown that microinfusions of exogenous DOPALD might induce cell death, pharmacological modulation of DOPALD levels might also be relevant for an understanding of the mechanisms involved in DA neurotoxicity.     

Mast cell degranulation during abdominal surgery initiates postoperative ileus in mice

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Inflammation of the intestinal muscularis following manipulation during surgery plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of postoperative ileus. Here, we evaluate the role of mast cell activation in the recruitment of infiltrates in a murine model. METHODS: Twenty-four hours after control laparotomy or intestinal manipulation, gastric emptying was determined. Mast cell degranulation was determined by measurement of mast cell protease-I in peritoneal fluid. Intestinal inflammation was assessed by determination of tissue myeloperoxidase activity and histochemical staining. RESULTS: Intestinal manipulation elicited a significant increase in mast cell protease-I levels in peritoneal fluid and resulted in recruitment of inflammatory infiltrates to the intestinal muscularis. This infiltrate was associated with a delay in gastric emptying 24 hours after surgery. Pretreatment with mast cell stabilizers ketotifen (1 mg/kg, p.o.) or doxantrazole (5 mg/kg, i.p.) prevented both manipulation-induced inflammation and gastroparesis. Reciprocally, in vivo exposure of an ileal loop to the mast cell secretagogue compound 48/80 (0.2 mg/mL for 1 minute) induced muscular inflammation and delayed gastric emptying. The manipulation-induced inflammation was dependent on the presence of mast cells because intestinal manipulation in mast cell-deficient Kit/Kitv mice did not elicit significant leukocyte recruitment. Reconstitution of Kit/Kitv mice with cultured bone marrow-derived mast cells from congenic wild types restored the manipulation-induced inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that degranulation of connective tissue mast cells is a key event for the establishment of the intestinal infiltrate that mediates postoperative ileus following abdominal surgery.     

INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS

<正>GENERAL INFORMATION World Journal of Cardiology(World J Cardiol,WJC,online ISSN1949-8462,DOI:10.4330)is a peer-reviewed open access(OA)academic journal that aims to guide clinical practice and improve diagnostic and therapeutic skills of clinicians.Aim and scope WJC covers topics concerning arrhythmia,heart failure,vascular disease     

INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS

<正>GENERAL INFORMATION World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology(World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol,WJGP,online ISSN 2150-5330,DOI:10.4291)is a peer-reviewed open access(OA)academic journal that aims to guide clinical practice and improve diagnostic and therapeutic skills of clinicians.Aim and scope WJGP is to report rapidly the most recent results in basic and clinical research on gastrointestinal pathophysiology,including all aspects of normal or abnormal function of the gastrointestinal tract,