Adenosine decreases aspartate and glutamate release from rat hippocampal slices

Endogenous ceramide phosphoethanolamine modulates circadian rhythm via neural-glial coupling in Drosophila

While endogenous lipids are known to exhibit rhythmic oscillations, less is known about how specific lipids modulate circadian behavior. Through a series of loss-of-function and gain-of-function experiments on ceramide phosphoethanolamine (CPE) synthase of Drosophila, we demonstrated that pan-glial-specific deficiency in membrane CPE, the structural analog of mammalian sphingomyelin (SM), leads to arrhythmic locomotor behavior and shortens lifespan, while the reverse is true for increasing CPE. Comparative proteomics uncovered dysregulated synaptic glutamate utilization and transport in CPE-deficient flies. An extensive genetic screen was conducted to verify the role of differentially expressed proteins in circadian regulation. Arrhythmic locomotion under cpes¹ mutant background was rescued only by restoring endogenous CPE or SM through expressing their respective synthases. Our results underscore the essential role of CPE in maintaining synaptic glutamate homeostasis and modulating circadian behavior in Drosophila. The findings suggest that region-specific elevations of functional membrane lipids can benefit circadian regulation.

Neuronal Adenosine A1 Receptor is Critical for Olfactory Function but Unable to Attenuate Olfactory Dysfunction in Neuroinflammation

Adenine nucleotides, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), as well as the nucleoside adenosine are important modulators of neuronal function by engaging P1 and P2 purinergic receptors. In mitral cells, signaling of the G protein-coupled P1 receptor adenosine 1 receptor (A1R) affects the olfactory sensory pathway by regulating high voltage-activated calcium channels and two-pore domain potassium (K2P) channels. The inflammation of the central nervous system (CNS) impairs the olfactory function and gives rise to large amounts of extracellular ATP and adenosine, which act as pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators, respectively. However, it is unclear whether neuronal A1R in the olfactory bulb modulates the sensory function and how this is impacted by inflammation. Here, we show that signaling via neuronal A1R is important for the physiological olfactory function, while it cannot counteract inflammation-induced hyperexcitability and olfactory deficit. Using neuron-specific A1R-deficient mice in patch-clamp recordings, we found that adenosine modulates spontaneous dendro-dendritic signaling in mitral and granule cells via A1R. Furthermore, neuronal A1R deficiency resulted in olfactory dysfunction in two separate olfactory tests. In mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), we detected immune cell infiltration and microglia activation in the olfactory bulb as well as hyperexcitability of mitral cells and olfactory dysfunction. However, neuron-specific A1R activity was unable to attenuate glutamate excitotoxicity in the primary olfactory bulb neurons in vitro or EAE-induced olfactory dysfunction and disease severity in vivo. Together, we demonstrate that A1R modulates the dendro-dendritic inhibition (DDI) at the site of mitral and granule cells and impacts the processing of the olfactory sensory information, while A1R activity was unable to counteract inflammation-induced hyperexcitability.

A patent review of adenosine A2B receptor antagonists (2016-present)

INTRODUCTION

A_2B adenosine receptor (A_2BAR) plays a crucial role in pathophysiologic conditions associated with high adenosine release, typical of airway inflammatory pathologies, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, asthma, type 2 diabetes, and atherosclerosis. In some pathologies, simultaneous inactivation of A_2A and A_2BARs is desirable to have a synergism of action that leads to a greater efficacy of the pharmacological treatment and less side effects due to the dose of drug administered. In this context, it is strongly required to identify molecules capable of selectively antagonizing A_2BAR or A_2A/A_2BARs.

AREAS COVERED

The review provides a summary of patents, published from 2016 to present, on chemicals and their clinical use. In this paper, information on the biological activity of representative structures of recently developed A_2B or A_2A/A_2B receptor ligands is reported.

EXPERT OPINION

Among the four P1 receptors, A_2BAR is the most inscrutable and the least studied until a few years ago, but its involvement in various inflammatory pathologies has recently made it a pharmacological target of high interest. Many efforts by the academy and pharmaceutical companies have been made to discover potential A_2BAR and A_2A/A_2BARs drugs. Although several compounds have been synthesized only a few molecules have entered clinical trials.

Therapeutic Potential of Highly Selective A3 Adenosine Receptor Ligands in the Central and Peripheral Nervous System

Ligands of the G_i protein-coupled adenosine A₃ receptor (A₃R) are receiving increasing interest as attractive therapeutic tools for the treatment of a number of pathological conditions of the central and peripheral nervous systems (CNS and PNS, respectively). Their safe pharmacological profiles emerging from clinical trials on different pathologies (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and fatty liver diseases) confer a realistic translational potential to these compounds, thus encouraging the investigation of highly selective agonists and antagonists of A₃R. The present review summarizes information on the effect of latest-generation A₃R ligands, not yet available in commerce, obtained by using different in vitro and in vivo models of various PNS- or CNS-related disorders. This review places particular focus on brain ischemia insults and colitis, where the prototypical A₃R agonist, Cl-IB-MECA, and antagonist, MRS1523, have been used in research studies as reference compounds to explore the effects of latest-generation ligands on this receptor. The advantages and weaknesses of these compounds in terms of therapeutic potential are discussed.

Resistance exercise improves learning and memory and modulates hippocampal metabolomic profile in aged rats

Physical activity has been considered an important non-medication intervention to preserve mnemonic processes during aging. However, how resistance exercise promotes such benefits remains unclear. A possible hypothesis is that brain-metabolic changes of regions responsible for memory consolidation is affected by muscular training. Therefore, we analyzed the memory, axiety and the metabolomic of aged male Wistar rats (19-20 months old in the 1st day of experiment) submitted to a 12-week resistance exercise protocol (EX, n = 11) or which remained without physical exercise (CTL, n = 13). Barnes maze, elevated plus maze and inhibitory avoidance tests were used to assess the animals' behaviour. The metabolomic profile was identified by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry. EX group had better performance in the tests of learning and spatial memory in Barnes maze, and an increase of short and long-term aversive memories formation in inhibitory avoidance. In addition, the exercised animals showed a greater amount of metabolites, such as 4-aminobutyrate, acetate, butyrate, choline, fumarate, glycerol, glycine, histidine, hypoxanthine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, niacinamide, phenylalanine, succinate, tyrosine, valine and a reduction of ascorbate and aspartate compared to the control animals. These data indicate that the improvement in learning and memory of aged rats submitted to resistance exercise program is associated by changes in the hippocampal metabolomic profile.

A2 B Adenosine Receptors and Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Signaling Cross-Talk in Oligodendrogliogenesis

Oligodendrocyte-formed myelin sheaths allow fast synaptic transmission in the brain. Impairments in the process of myelination, or demyelinating insults, might cause chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Under physiological conditions, remyelination is an ongoing process throughout adult life consisting in the differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) into mature oligodendrocytes (OLs). During pathological events, this process fails due to unfavorable environment. Adenosine and sphingosine kinase/sphingosine 1-phosphate signaling axes (SphK/S1P) play important roles in remyelination processes. Remarkably, fingolimod (FTY720), a sphingosine analog recently approved for MS treatment, plays important roles in OPC maturation. We recently demonstrated that the selective stimulation of A_{2 B} adenosine receptors (A_{2 B} Rs) inhibit OPC differentiation in vitro and reduce voltage-dependent outward K⁺ currents (I _K ) necessary to OPC maturation, whereas specific SphK1 or SphK2 inhibition exerts the opposite effect. During OPC differentiation A_{2 B} R expression increases, this effect being prevented by SphK1/2 blockade. Furthermore, selective silencing of A_{2 B} R in OPC cultures prompts maturation and, intriguingly, enhances the expression of S1P lyase, the enzyme responsible for irreversible S1P catabolism. Finally, the existence of an interplay between SphK1/S1P pathway and A_{2 B} Rs in OPCs was confirmed since acute stimulation of A_{2 B} Rs activates SphK1 by increasing its phosphorylation. Here the role of A_{2 B} R and SphK/S1P signaling during oligodendrogenesis is reviewed in detail, with the purpose to shed new light on the interaction between A_{2 B} Rs and S1P signaling, as eventual innovative targets for the treatment of demyelinating disorders.

Caffeine and Its Neuroprotective Role in Ischemic Events: A Mechanism Dependent on Adenosine Receptors

Ischemia is characterized by a transient, insufficient, or permanent interruption of blood flow to a tissue, which leads to an inadequate glucose and oxygen supply. The nervous tissue is highly active, and it closely depends on glucose and oxygen to satisfy its metabolic demand. Therefore, ischemic conditions promote cell death and lead to a secondary wave of cell damage that progressively spreads to the neighborhood areas, called penumbra. Brain ischemia is one of the main causes of deaths and summed with retinal ischemia comprises one of the principal reasons of disability. Although several studies have been performed to investigate the mechanisms of damage to find protective/preventive interventions, an effective treatment does not exist yet. Adenosine is a well-described neuromodulator in the central nervous system (CNS), and acts through four subtypes of G-protein-coupled receptors. Adenosine receptors, especially A₁ and A_2A receptors, are the main targets of caffeine in daily consumption doses. Accordingly, caffeine has been greatly studied in the context of CNS pathologies. In fact, adenosine system, as well as caffeine, is involved in neuroprotection effects in different pathological situations. Therefore, the present review focuses on the role of adenosine/caffeine in CNS, brain and retina, ischemic events.

A2B Adenosine Receptors: When Outsiders May Become an Attractive Target to Treat Brain Ischemia or Demyelination

Adenosine is a signaling molecule, which, by activating its receptors, acts as an important player after cerebral ischemia. Here, we review data in the literature describing A2BR-mediated effects in models of cerebral ischemia obtained in vivo by the occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAo) or in vitro by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in hippocampal slices. Adenosine plays an apparently contradictory role in this receptor subtype depending on whether it is activated on neuro-glial cells or peripheral blood vessels and/or inflammatory cells after ischemia. Indeed, A2BRs participate in the early glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity responsible for neuronal and synaptic loss in the CA1 hippocampus. On the contrary, later after ischemia, the same receptors have a protective role in tissue damage and functional impairments, reducing inflammatory cell infiltration and neuroinflammation by central and/or peripheral mechanisms. Of note, demyelination following brain ischemia, or autoimmune neuroinflammatory reactions, are also profoundly affected by A2BRs since they are expressed by oligodendroglia where their activation inhibits cell maturation and expression of myelin-related proteins. In conclusion, data in the literature indicate the A2BRs as putative therapeutic targets for the still unmet treatment of stroke or demyelinating diseases.

Caffeine has a dual influence on NMDA receptor-mediated glutamatergic transmission at the hippocampus

Caffeine, a stimulant largely consumed around the world, is a non-selective adenosine receptor antagonist, and therefore caffeine actions at synapses usually, but not always, mirror those of adenosine. Importantly, different adenosine receptors with opposing regulatory actions co-exist at synapses. Through both inhibitory and excitatory high-affinity receptors (A₁R and A₂R, respectively), adenosine affects NMDA receptor (NMDAR) function at the hippocampus, but surprisingly, there is a lack of knowledge on the effects of caffeine upon this ionotropic glutamatergic receptor deeply involved in both positive (plasticity) and negative (excitotoxicity) synaptic actions. We thus aimed to elucidate the effects of caffeine upon NMDAR-mediated excitatory post-synaptic currents (NMDAR-EPSCs), and its implications upon neuronal Ca²⁺ homeostasis. We found that caffeine (30-200 μM) facilitates NMDAR-EPSCs on pyramidal CA1 neurons from Balbc/ByJ male mice, an action mimicked, as well as occluded, by 1,3-dipropyl-cyclopentylxantine (DPCPX, 50 nM), thus likely mediated by blockade of inhibitory A₁Rs. This action of caffeine cannot be attributed to a pre-synaptic facilitation of transmission because caffeine even increased paired-pulse facilitation of NMDA-EPSCs, indicative of an inhibition of neurotransmitter release. Adenosine A_2ARs are involved in this likely pre-synaptic action since the effect of caffeine was mimicked by the A_2AR antagonist, SCH58261 (50 nM). Furthermore, caffeine increased the frequency of Ca²⁺ transients in neuronal cell culture, an action mimicked by the A₁R antagonist, DPCPX, and prevented by NMDAR blockade with AP5 (50 μM). Altogether, these results show for the first time an influence of caffeine on NMDA receptor activity at the hippocampus, with impact in neuronal Ca²⁺ homeostasis.

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate in acute ischemic stroke: some to update, more to explore

The development of effective treatment for ischemic stroke, which is a common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, remains an unmet goal because the current first-line treatment management interventional therapy has a strict time window and serious complications. In recent years, a growing body of evidence has shown that the elevation of intracellular and extracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) alleviates brain damage after ischemic stroke by attenuating neuroinflammation in the central nervous system and peripheral immune system. In the central nervous system, upregulated intracellular cAMP signaling can alleviate immune-mediated damage by restoring neuronal morphology and function, inhibiting microglia migration and activation, stabilizing the membrane potential of astrocytes and improving the cellular functions of endothelial cells and oligodendrocytes. Enhancement of the extracellular cAMP signaling pathway can improve neurological function by activating the cAMP-adenosine pathway to reduce immune-mediated damage. In the peripheral immune system, cAMP can act on various immune cells to suppress peripheral immune function, which can alleviate the inflammatory response in the central nervous system and improve the prognosis of acute cerebral ischemic injury. Therefore, cAMP may play key roles in reducing post-stroke neuroinflammatory damage. The protective roles of the cAMP indicate that the cAMP enhancing drugs such as cAMP supplements, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, adenylate cyclase agonists, which are currently used in the treatment of heart and lung diseases. They are potentially able to be applied as a new therapeutic strategy in ischemic stroke. This review focuses on the immune-regulating roles and the clinical implication of cAMP in acute ischemic stroke.

Exogenous adenosine facilitates neuroprotection and functional recovery following cerebral ischemia in rats

INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVE

Cerebral ischemia causes physiological and biochemical cellular changes that ultimately result in structural and functional damage to hippocampal neurons. Ischemia also raises endogenous adenosine release that in turn has neuroprotective effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of exogenous adenosine on mitigating neuronal lesions to the CA1 region of hippocampus and A2A protein expression following cerebral I/R in rats.

METHODS

Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three experimental groups (sham, ischemia + control, and ischemia + adenosine). A daily dose of adenosine (0.1 mg/ml/kg, i.p.) was administered starting 24 h post-ischemia for 7 days. Ischemia was induced by occlusion of both common carotid arteries for 45 min. Cresyl violet and Hematoxylin Eosin staining were used to assess lesion extent and location. To investigate the expression and protein levels, immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method was used.

RESULTS

The cerebral ischemia caused neuronal loss in the CA1 region and reduced sensorimotor functions in lesion animals. Injection of adenosine significantly diminished cell death and improved sensorimotor functional recovery. Moreover, the expression and concentration of A2A protein was significantly greater in the adenosine group compared to the ischemia group.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that the administration of exogenous adenosine promotes protection against cell death and supports functional recovery following ischemic injury.

The E3 ligase Highwire promotes synaptic transmission by targeting the NAD-synthesizing enzyme dNmnat

The ubiquitin ligase Highwire restrains synaptic growth and promotes evoked neurotransmission at NMJ synapses in Drosophila Highwire regulates synaptic morphology by downregulating the MAP3K Wallenda, but excess Wallenda signaling does not account for the decreased presynaptic release observed in highwire mutants. Hence, Highwire likely has a second substrate that inhibits neurotransmission. Highwire targets the NAD+ biosynthetic and axoprotective enzyme dNmnat to regulate axonal injury responses. dNmnat localizes to synapses and interacts with the active zone protein Bruchpilot, leading us to hypothesize that Highwire promotes evoked release by downregulating dNmnat. Here, we show that excess dNmnat is necessary in highwire mutants and sufficient in wild-type larvae to reduce quantal content, likely via disruption of active zone ultrastructure. Catalytically active dNmnat is required to drive defects in evoked release, and depletion of a second NAD+ synthesizing enzyme is sufficient to suppress these defects in highwire mutants, suggesting that excess NAD+ biosynthesis is the mechanism inhibiting neurotransmission. Thus, Highwire downregulates dNmnat to promote evoked synaptic release, suggesting that Highwire balances the axoprotective and synapse-inhibitory functions of dNmnat.

Purinergic signalling in brain ischemia

Ischemia is a multifactorial pathology characterized by different events evolving in the time. After ischemia a primary damage due to the early massive increase of extracellular glutamate is followed by activation of resident immune cells, i.e microglia, and production or activation of inflammation mediators. Protracted neuroinflammation is now recognized as the predominant mechanism of secondary brain injury progression. Extracellular concentrations of ATP and adenosine in the brain increase dramatically during ischemia in concentrations able to stimulate their respective specific P2 and P1 receptors. Both ATP P2 and adenosine P1 receptor subtypes exert important roles in ischemia. Although adenosine exerts a clear neuroprotective effect through A1 receptors during ischemia, the use of selective A1 agonists is hampered by undesirable peripheral effects. Evidence up to now in literature indicate that A2A receptor antagonists provide protection centrally by reducing excitotoxicity, while agonists at A2A (and possibly also A2B) and A3 receptors provide protection by controlling massive infiltration and neuroinflammation in the hours and days after brain ischemia. Among P2X receptors most evidence indicate that P2X7 receptor contribute to the damage induced by the ischemic insult due to intracellular Ca(2+) loading in central cells and facilitation of glutamate release. Antagonism of P2X7 receptors might represent a new treatment to attenuate brain damage and to promote proliferation and maturation of brain immature resident cells that can promote tissue repair following cerebral ischemia. Among P2Y receptors, antagonists of P2Y12 receptors are of value because of their antiplatelet activity and possibly because of additional anti-inflammatory effects. Moreover strategies that modify adenosine or ATP concentrations at injury sites might be of value to limit damage after ischemia. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Purines in Neurodegeneration and Neuroregeneration'.

The Role of Piriform Cortex Adenosine A1 Receptors on Hippocampal Kindling

Introduction:

The hippocampus and piriform cortex have a critical role in seizure propagation. In this study, the role of adenosine A1 receptors of piriform cortex on CA1 hippocampal kindled seizures was studied in rats.

Methods:

Animals were implanted with a tripolar electrode in the right hippocampal CA1 region and two guide cannulae in the left and right piriform cortex. They were kindled by daily electrical stimulation of hippocampus. In fully kindled rats, N6- cyclohexyladenosine (CHA; a selective adenosine A1 receptors agonist) and 1, 3-dimethyl-8-cyclopenthylxanthine (CPT a selective adenosine A1 receptor antagonist) were microinfused into the piriform cortex. The animals were stimulated at 5, 15 and 90 minutes (min) after drag injection.

Results:

Obtained data showed that CHA (10 and 100 μM) reduced afterdischarge duration, stage 5 seizure duration, and total seizure duration at 5 and 15 min after drag injection. There was no significant change in latency to stage 4 seizure. CPT at concentration of 20 μM increased afterdischarge duration, stage 5 seizure duration, and total seizure duration and decreased latency to stage 4 seizure at 5 and 15 min post injection. Pretreatment of rats with CPT (10 μM), 5 min before CHA (100 μM), reduced the effect of CHA on seizure parameters.

Conclusion:

These results suggested that activity of adenosine A1 receptors in the piriform cortex has an anticonvulsant effect on kindled seizures resulting from electrical stimulation of the CA1 region of the hippocampus.

Modulation of neuroimmunity by adenosine and its receptors: metabolism to mental illness

Adenosine is a pleiotropic bioactive with potent neuromodulatory properties. Due to its ability to easily cross the blood-brain barrier, it can act as a signaling molecule between the periphery and the brain. It functions through four (A1, A2A, A2B, and A3) cell surface G protein-coupled adenosine receptors (ARs) that are expressed in some combination on nearly all cells types within the CNS. By regulating the activity of adenylyl cyclase and changing the intracellular concentration of cAMP, adenosine can alter neuronal function and neurotransmission. A variety of illnesses related to metabolic dysregulation, such as type 1 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, are associated with an elevated serum concentration of adenosine and a pathogenesis rooted in inflammation. This review describes the accepted physiologic function of adenosine in neurological disease and explores its new potential as a peripheral to central danger signal that can activate the neuroimmune system and contribute to symptoms of sickness and psychopathologies.

The role of alpha-2 adrenoceptors in the anticonvulsant effects of adenosine on pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure threshold in mice

Adenosine has anticonvulsant effects in various models of seizures. Alpha-2 adrenoceptors have also demonstrated different effects in different models of epilepsy. In this study, the role of alpha-2 adrenoceptors in the anticonvulsant effects of adenosine in mice was determined according to the method of intravenous pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure. In this study, N(6)-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA) (a selective A1 receptor agonist), clonidine (an alpha-2 adrenoceptors agonist), yohimbine (an alpha-2 adrenoceptors antagonist) and 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dimethylxanthine (8-CPT) (a selective A1 receptor antagonist) were used. CHA at doses of 0.5, 1 and 2mg/kg significantly increased seizure threshold with the maximum anticonvulsant effect at 2mg/kg. Yohimbine (0.1, 1 and 10mg/kg), clonidine (0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2mg/kg) and 8-CPT (0.5, 1, 2 and 4mg/kg) had no effect on seizure by itself. Combination of yohimbine (10mg/kg) and CHA (0.25mg/kg) increased clonic seizure latency showing that yohimbine and CHA have an additive effect. Increasing the seizure threshold created by combining ineffective doses of yohimbine (10mg/kg) and CHA (0.25mg/kg) was completely inhibited by 8-CPT (4mg/kg) or clonidine (1 and 2mg/kg). Clonidine (0.5, 1 and 2mg/kg) inhibited the anticonvulsant effects of CHA (2mg/kg). Combination of 8-CPT (1mg/kg) and clonidine (0.5mg/kg) which completely inhibited the anticonvulsant effect of CHA (2mg/kg) indicates that 8-CPT and clonidine have an additive effect. In conclusion, adenosine and yohimbine exhibit an additive effect on the enhancement of the pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure threshold in mice, indicating the interaction of alpha-2 adrenoceptors and A1 adenosine receptors.

Adenosine A2A receptors modulate acute injury and neuroinflammation in brain ischemia

The extracellular concentration of adenosine in the brain increases dramatically during ischemia. Adenosine A_2A receptor is expressed in neurons and glial cells and in inflammatory cells (lymphocytes and granulocytes). Recently, adenosine A_2A receptor emerged as a potential therapeutic attractive target in ischemia. Ischemia is a multifactorial pathology characterized by different events evolving in the time. After ischemia the early massive increase of extracellular glutamate is followed by activation of resident immune cells, that is, microglia, and production or activation of inflammation mediators. Proinflammatory cytokines, which upregulate cell adhesion molecules, exert an important role in promoting recruitment of leukocytes that in turn promote expansion of the inflammatory response in ischemic tissue. Protracted neuroinflammation is now recognized as the predominant mechanism of secondary brain injury progression. A_2A receptors present on central cells and on blood cells account for important effects depending on the time-related evolution of the pathological condition. Evidence suggests that A_2A receptor antagonists provide early protection via centrally mediated control of excessive excitotoxicity, while A_2A receptor agonists provide protracted protection by controlling massive blood cell infiltration in the hours and days after ischemia. Focus on inflammatory responses provides for adenosine A_2A receptor agonists a wide therapeutic time-window of hours and even days after stroke.

Purines released from astrocytes inhibit excitatory synaptic transmission in the ventral horn of the spinal cord

Spinal neuronal networks are essential for motor function. They are involved in the integration of sensory inputs and the generation of rhythmic motor outputs. They continuously adapt their activity to the internal state of the organism and to the environment. This plasticity can be provided by different neuromodulators. These substances are usually thought of being released by dedicated neurons. However, in other networks from the central nervous system synaptic transmission is also modulated by transmitters released from astrocytes. The star-shaped glial cell responds to neurotransmitters by releasing gliotransmitters, which in turn modulate synaptic transmission. Here we investigated if astrocytes present in the ventral horn of the spinal cord modulate synaptic transmission. We evoked synaptic inputs in ventral horn neurons recorded in a slice preparation from the spinal cord of neonatal mice. Neurons responded to electrical stimulation by monosynaptic EPSCs (excitatory monosynaptic postsynaptic currents). We used mice expressing the enhanced green fluorescent protein under the promoter of the glial fibrillary acidic protein to identify astrocytes. Chelating calcium with BAPTA in a single neighboring astrocyte increased the amplitude of synaptic currents. In contrast, when we selectively stimulated astrocytes by activating PAR-1 receptors with the peptide TFLLR, the amplitude of EPSCs evoked by a paired stimulation protocol was reduced. The paired-pulse ratio was increased, suggesting an inhibition occurring at the presynaptic side of synapses. In the presence of blockers for extracellular ectonucleotidases, TFLLR did not induce presynaptic inhibition. Puffing adenosine reproduced the effect of TFLLR and blocking adenosine A1 receptors with 8-Cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine prevented it. Altogether our results show that ventral horn astrocytes are responsible for a tonic and a phasic inhibition of excitatory synaptic transmission by releasing ATP, which gets converted into adenosine that binds to inhibitory presynaptic A1 receptors.

Distribution of nucleosides in populations of Cordyceps cicadae

A rapid HPLC method had been developed and used for the simultaneous determination of 10 nucleosides (uracil, uridine, 2'-deoxyuridine, inosine, guanosine, thymidine, adenine, adenosine, 2'-deoxyadenosine and cordycepin) in 10 populations of Cordyceps cicadae, in order to compare four populations of Ophicordyceps sinensis and one population of Cordyceps militaris. Statistical analysis system (SAS) 8.1 was used to analyze the nucleoside data. The pattern of nucleoside distribution was analyzed in the sampled populations of C. cicadae, O. sinensis and C. militaris, using descriptive statistical analysis, nested analysis and Q cluster analysis. The total amount of the 10 nucleosides in coremium was 1,463.89–5,678.21 µg/g in 10 populations of C. cicadae, 1,369.80–3,941.64 µg/g in sclerotium. The average contents of the 10 analytes were 4,392.37 µg/g and 3,016.06 µg/g in coremium and sclerotium, respectively. The coefficient of variation (CV) of nucleosides ranged from 8.36% to 112.36% in coremium of C. cicadae, and from 10.77% to 155.87% in sclerotium of C. cicadae. The CV of the nucleosides was wide within C. cicadae populations. The nested variation analysis by the nine nucleosides’ distribution indicated that about 42.29% of the nucleoside variability in coremium was attributable to the differentiation among populations, and the remaining 57.71% resided in the populations. It was also shown that about 28.94% of the variation in sclerotium was expressed between populations, while most of the variation (71.06%) corresponded to the populations.

Preladenant: an adenosine A2A receptor antagonist for Parkinson’s disease

Preladenant (SCH 420814) is a potent selective antagonist at the adenosine A2A receptor that is being studied for treatment in early Parkinson’s disease (PD) as a monotherapy, and in moderate-to-severe PD as an add on to levodopa therapy. Unlike other drugs used for this disease, preladenant modulates adenosine action at the striatal level in order to block the inhibitory action of the basal ganglia output nuclei. Animal models of PD suggested that preladenant could be an effective treatment, which was further supported in a Phase II study of subjects with idiopathic PD who demonstrated a benefit in reducing off-time with an increase in on-time. In this article, we review current perspectives concerning pharmacological approaches to PD, the pharmacological properties of preladenant, its efficiency and safety, as well as the results reported for parkinsonian subjects treated with this drug.

Neuroadaptations in adenosine receptor signaling following long-term ethanol exposure and withdrawal

Ethanol affects the function of neurotransmitter systems, resulting in neuroadaptations that alter neural excitability. Adenosine is one such receptor system that is changed by ethanol exposure. The current review is focused on the A(1) and the A(2A) receptor subtypes in the context of ethanol-related neuroadaptations and ethanol withdrawal because these subtypes (i) are activated by basal levels of adenosine, (ii) have been most well-studied for their role in neuroprotection and ethanol-related phenomena, and (iii) are the primary site of action for caffeine in the brain, a substance commonly ingested with ethanol. It is clear that alterations in adenosinergic signaling mediate many of the effects of acute ethanol administration, particularly with regard to motor function and sedation. Further, prolonged ethanol exposure has been shown to produce adaptations in the cell surface expression or function of both A(1) and the A(2A) receptor subtypes, effects that likely promote neuronal excitability during ethanol withdrawal. As a whole, these findings demonstrate a significant role for ethanol-induced adaptations in adenosine receptor signaling that likely influence neuronal function, viability, and relapse to ethanol intake following abstinence.

Adenosine A(2A)R modulates cardiovascular function by activating ERK1/2 signal in the rostral ventrolateral medulla of acute myocardial ischemic rats

AIMS

To investigate the cardiovascular regulatory mechanism of adenosine A(2A) receptor (A(2A)R) in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) in acute myocardial ischemic (AMI) rats.

MAIN METHODS

The animal model of AMI was established by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). The A(2A)R expression was examined by immunohistochemistry, western blot and real-time PCR. CGS21680 and SCH58261 (an agonist and antagonist of A(2A)R) were respectively microinjected into the RVLM. In a subgroup of rats, PD98059 (an antagonist of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2)) was microinjected prior to CGS21680 administration. Phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was examined by western blot.

KEY FINDINGS

Our results demonstrated that A(2A)R immunoreactive positive neurons, the expressions of protein and mRNA of A(2A)R in the RVLM of AMI group were increased compared with the sham group. Microinjection CGS21680 into the RVLM inhibited mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) in both AMI and sham groups. The inhibition was significantly greater in AMI group than in sham group. The cardiovascular effects of CGS21680 mentioned above were almost abolished by prior administration of PD98059. The increase of ERK1/2 in the RVLM with the cardiovascular responses was induced by CGS21680 in AMI rats; this effect was also blocked by SCH58261.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study reveals that the activated A(2A)R in the RVLM underlies the depressor and bradycardiac responses in AMI rats via phosphorylation of ERK1/2 increasing.

Nuclear Factor κB and Adenosine Receptors: Biochemical and Behavioral Profiling

Adenosine is produced primarily by the metabolism of ATP and mediates its physiological actions by interacting primarily with adenosine receptors (ARs) on the plasma membranes of different cell types in the body. Activation of these G protein-coupled receptors promotes activation of diverse cellular signaling pathways that define their tissue-specific functions. One of the major actions of adenosine is cytoprotection, mediated primarily via two ARs - A(1) (A(1)AR) and A(3) (A(3)AR). These ARs protect cells exposed to oxidative stress and are also regulated by oxidative stress. Stress-mediated regulation of ARs involves two prominent transcription factors - activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB - that mediate the induction of genes important in cell survival. Mice that are genetically deficient in the p50 subunit of NF-κB (i.e., p50 knock-out mice) exhibit altered expression of A(1)AR and A(2A)AR and demonstrate distinct behavioral phenotypes under normal conditions or after drug challenges. These effects suggest an important role for NF-κB in dictating the level of expression of ARs in vivo, in regulating the cellular responses to stress, and in modifying behavior.

Effects of hypoxia, glucose deprivation and recovery on the expression of nucleoside transporters and adenosine uptake in primary culture of rat cortical astrocytes

The aim of this study was to explore effects of hypoxia, glucose deprivation (HGD) and recovery on expression and activities of equilibrative nucleoside transporters (rENT) and concentrative nucleoside transporters (rCNT) in rat astrocytes in primary culture. Amounts of cellular ATP in the control group (CG, 5% CO(2) in air, medium containing 7 mM D-glucose, 1 mM Na(+)-pyruvate, 1 h), HGD group (2% O(2)/5% CO(2) in N(2), pyruvate-free medium containing 1.5 mM D-glucose and 10 mM 2-deoxy-D-glucose, 1 h) and recovery group (RG, HGD for 1 h, followed by 1 h exposure to the same conditions as the CG) were (nmol/mg protein, n = 4) 18 +/- 1.6, 4.9 +/- 0.6 and 10.1 +/- 0.8, respectively. Extracellular adenosine concentrations increased from (nM, n = 3) 42 +/- 4 in the CG, to 99 +/- 8 in the HGD group and 86 +/- 3 in the RG. Real-time PCR and immunoblotting revealed that in the HGD group and RG, the amounts of rENT1 mRNA and protein were reduced to 40 and 50%, when compared to the CG, respectively. Astrocyte cultures took up [(3)H]adenosine by concentrative and equilibrative transport processes; however, rENT1-mediated uptake was absent in the RG and cultures from the RG took up significantly less [(3)H]adenosine by equilibrative mechanisms than cultures from the CG.

Adenosine inhibits paraventricular pre-sympathetic neurons through ATP-dependent potassium channels

Adenosine produces cardiovascular depressor effects in various brain regions. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. The pre-sympathetic neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) play an important role in regulating arterial blood pressure and sympathetic outflow through projections to the spinal cord and brainstem. In this study, we performed whole-cell patch-clamp recordings on retrogradely labeled PVN neurons projecting to the intermediolateral cell column of the spinal cord in rats. Adenosine (10-100 microM) decreased the firing activity in a concentration-dependent manner, with a marked hyperpolarization in 12 of 26 neurons tested. Blockade of A(1) receptors with the adenosine A(1) receptor antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine or intracellular dialysis of guanosine 5'-O-(2-thodiphosphate) eliminated the inhibitory effect of adenosine on labeled PVN neurons. Immunocytochemical labeling revealed that A(1) receptors were expressed on spinally projecting PVN neurons. Also, blocking ATP-dependent K(+) (K(ATP)) channels with 100 microM glibenclamide or 200 microM tolbutamide, but not the G protein-coupled inwardly rectifying K(+) channels blocker tertiapin-Q, abolished the inhibitory effect of adenosine on the firing activity of PVN neurons. Furthermore, glibenclamide or tolbutamide significantly decreased the adenosine-induced outward currents in labeled neurons. The reversal potential of adenosine-induced currents was close to the K(+) equilibrium potential. In addition, adenosine decreased the frequency of both spontaneous and miniature glutamatergic excitatory post-synaptic currents and GABAergic inhibitory post-synaptic currents in labeled neurons, and these effects were also blocked by 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine. Collectively, our findings suggest that adenosine inhibits the excitability of PVN pre-sympathetic neurons through A(1) receptor-mediated opening of K(ATP) channels.

Adenosine signaling and function in glial cells

Despite major advances in a variety of neuroscientific research fields, the majority of neurodegenerative and neurological diseases are poorly controlled by currently available drugs, which are largely based on a neurocentric drug design. Research from the past 5 years has established a central role of glia to determine how neurons function and, consequently, glial dysfunction is implicated in almost every neurodegenerative and neurological disease. Glial cells are key regulators of the brain's endogenous neuroprotectant and anticonvulsant adenosine. This review will summarize how glial cells contribute to adenosine homeostasis and how glial adenosine receptors affect glial function. We will then move on to discuss how glial cells interact with neurons and the vasculature, and outline new methods to study glial function. We will discuss how glial control of adenosine function affects neuronal cell death, and its implications for epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, ischemia, and Parkinson's disease. Eventually, glial adenosine-modulating drug targets might be an attractive alternative for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. There are, however, several major open questions that remain to be tackled.

The role of adenosine in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system manifested by cognitive and memory deterioration, a variety of neuropsychiatric symptoms, behavioral disturbances, and progressive impairment of daily life activities. Current pharmacotherapies are restricted to symptomatic interventions but do not prevent progressive neuronal degeneration. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are needed to intervene with these progressive pathological processes. In the past several years adenosine, a ubiquitously released purine ribonucleoside, has become important for its neuromodulating capability and its emerging positive experimental effects in neurodegenerative diseases. Recent research suggests that adenosine receptors play important roles in the modulation of cognitive function. The present paper attempts to review published reports and data from different studies showing the evidence of a relationship between adenosinergic function and AD-related cognitive deficits. Epidemiological studies have found an association between coffee (a nonselective adenosine receptor antagonist) consumption and improved cognitive function in AD patients and in the elderly. Long-term administration of caffeine in transgenic animal models showed a reduced amyloid burden in brain with better cognitive performance. Antagonists of adenosine A2A receptors mimic these beneficial effects of caffeine on cognitive function. Neuronal cell cultures with amyloid beta in the presence of an A2A receptor antagonist completely prevented amyloid beta-induced neurotoxicity. These findings suggest that the adenosinergic system constitutes a new therapeutic target for AD, and caffeine and A2A receptor antagonists may have promise to manage cognitive dysfunction in AD.

Astrocytes affect the profile of purines released from cultured cortical neurons

Adenosine (ADO) is produced by cultured neurons and astrocytes, albeit by different pathways, during in vitro stroke models (Parkinson and Xiong [2004] J. Neurochem. 88:1305-1312). Expression of ecto-5' nucleotidase (e-N), the enzyme responsible for extracellular dephosphorylation of AMP to ADO, is more abundant in astrocytes than neurons. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) evokes ADO release per se from neurons, whereas dephosphorylation of extracellular adenine nucleotides contributes to NMDA-evoked ADO production in the presence of astrocytes. We used four different cell preparations-cortical rat neurons, cortical rat astrocytes, cocultures of neurons and astrocytes, and transient cocultures of neurons with astrocytes on transwell filters-to show that astrocytes contribute to NMDA-evoked increases in extracellular ADO. NMDA significantly increased ADO and inosine (INO) production from cultured cortical neurons but only increased extracellular INO production from cocultures. In neurons, the equilibrative nucleoside transport (ENT) inhibitor dipyridamole (DPR) prevented NMDA-evoked ADO and INO production, whereas the e-N inhibitor alpha,beta-methylene ADP (AOPCP) had no effect. Conversely, from both cocultures and transient cocultures DPR significantly decreased NMDA-evoked INO but not ADO generation. AOPCP inhibited NMDA-evoked production of both ADO and INO from transient cocultures. In the absence of astrocytes, NMDA evoked release of intracellular ADO and INO from cultured cortical neurons through ENT. However, in the presence of astrocytes, extracellular conversion of adenine nucleotides to ADO contributed significantly to NMDA-evoked production of this purine.

Adenosine produced by neurons is metabolized to hypoxanthine by astrocytes

Adenosine (ADO) is an important neuromodulator in brain. During pathophysiological events such as stroke or brain trauma, ADO levels can increase up to 100-fold. We tested the hypothesis that astrocytes are important for the removal of ADO produced by neurons and for the metabolism of ADO to inosine (INO) and hypoxanthine (HX). We used four different cell culture preparations: cortical neurons, cortical astrocytes, cocultures of neurons and astrocytes, and neurons transiently cocultured with astrocytes on transwell filters. These cultures were treated with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), because NMDA receptor activation is a common factor among many causes of neurotoxicity. NMDA significantly increased extracellular ADO, INO, and HX levels from cultured cortical neurons by 3-, 3.5-, and 2-fold, respectively. In cocultures, NMDA significantly increased INO, by 4.5-fold, and HX, by 3-fold, but did not increase ADO levels. There was no NMDA-evoked purine production from astrocytes. Inhibition of purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) significantly decreased HX production from both neurons and cocultures to less than 30% of control levels. The transient addition of astrocytes to neurons during NMDA treatment significantly increased HX and decreased ADO levels compared with neurons alone. In addition, increasing the number of astrocytes was directly correlated with an increased capacity of ADO metabolism to INO and HX. In conclusion, NMDA evoked the production of ADO, INO, and HX from neurons. In the presence of astrocytes, there was significantly less ADO and more HX produced. Thus, ADO produced by neurons is subject to metabolism by astrocytes, a process that may limit its neuromodulatory actions.

Adenosine receptors and neurological disease: neuroprotection and neurodegeneration

Adenosine receptors modulate neuronal and synaptic function in a range of ways that may make them relevant to the occurrence, development and treatment of brain ischemic damage and degenerative disorders. A(1) adenosine receptors tend to suppress neural activity by a predominantly presynaptic action, while A(2A) adenosine receptors are more likely to promote transmitter release and postsynaptic depolarization. A variety of interactions have also been described in which adenosine A(1) or A(2) adenosine receptors can modify cellular responses to conventional neurotransmitters or receptor agonists such as glutamate, NMDA, nitric oxide and P2 purine receptors. Part of the role of adenosine receptors seems to be in the regulation of inflammatory processes that often occur in the aftermath of a major insult or disease process. All of the adenosine receptors can modulate the release of cytokines such as interleukins and tumor necrosis factor-alpha from immune-competent leukocytes and glia. When examined directly as modifiers of brain damage, A(1) adenosine receptor (AR) agonists, A(2A)AR agonists and antagonists, as well as A(3)AR antagonists, can protect against a range of insults, both in vitro and in vivo. Intriguingly, acute and chronic treatments with these ligands can often produce diametrically opposite effects on damage outcome, probably resulting from adaptational changes in receptor number or properties. In some cases molecular approaches have identified the involvement of ERK and GSK-3beta pathways in the protection from damage. Much evidence argues for a role of adenosine receptors in neurological disease. Receptor densities are altered in patients with Alzheimer's disease, while many studies have demonstrated effects of adenosine and its antagonists on synaptic plasticity in vitro, or on learning adequacy in vivo. The combined effects of adenosine on neuronal viability and inflammatory processes have also led to considerations of their roles in Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Huntington's disease and multiple sclerosis, as well as the brain damage associated with stroke. In addition to the potential pathological relevance of adenosine receptors, there are earnest attempts in progress to generate ligands that will target adenosine receptors as therapeutic agents to treat some of these disorders.

Sleep fragmentation impairs ventilatory long-term facilitation via adenosine A1 receptors

Sleep fragmentation (SF), a primary feature of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), impairs hippocampal long-term potentiation and causes cognitive/attention deficits. However, its influence upon respiratory control has hardly been studied. This study examined the effect of SF on ventilatory long-term facilitation (LTF, a persistent augmentation of respiratory activity after episodic hypoxia) and the hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR), and investigated the role of adenosine A1 receptors in these SF effects in conscious adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. SF, confirmed by sleep architecture recordings, was achieved by periodic, forced locomotion in a rotating drum (30 s rotation/90 s stop for 24 h). LTF, elicited by five episodes of 5 min poikilocapnic hypoxia (10% O2) with 5 min intervals, was measured by plethysmography. Resting ventilation and metabolic rate were unchanged, HVR was reduced (150.6 +/- 3.5% versus 110.4 +/- 12.3%) and LTF was eliminated (22.6 +/- 0.5% versus -0.1 +/- 1.3%) shortly after 24 h SF. The SF-induced impairments were SF duration dependent, and completely reversible as HVR (< 24 h) and LTF (< 48 h) returned spontaneously to their pre-SF values. The SF-impaired HVR was improved (130.3 +/- 4.2%) and SF-eliminated LTF was restored (19.6 +/- 0.9%) by systemic injection of the adenosine A1 receptor antagonist 8-CPT (2.5 mg kg(-1)) approximately 30 min before LTF elicitation. Both HVR and LTF were also similarly impaired by 24 h total sleep deprivation or 24 h repeated cage tapping-induced SF, but not by a 24 h locomotion control protocol for SF. Collectively, these data suggest that: (1) 24 h SF impairs LTF and poikilocapnic HVR; (2) these impairments require A1 receptors; and (3) SF of OSA may exacerbate OSA via impaired ventilatory control mechanisms.

Presynaptic adenosine and P2Y receptors

Adenine-based purines, such as adenosine and ATP, are ubiquitous molecules that, in addition to their roles in metabolism, act as modulators of neurotransmitter release through activation of presynaptic P1 purinoceptors or adenosine receptors (activated by adenosine) and P2 receptors (activated by nucleotides). Of the latter, the P2Y receptors are G protein-coupled, whereas the P2X receptors are ligand-gated ion channels and not covered in this review.

Different regional neuroinhibitory effects of adenosine on stimulus-induced patterns of bioelectric activity of rat hippocampal and neocortical tissues

Adenosine is an inhibitory modulator of brain activity with neuroprotective and anticonvulsant properties. To investigate the distribution of bioelectric activities under application of adenosine, rat hippocampal and neocortical slices were incubated with the voltage-sensitive dye RH795 and neuronal activity was monitored using a fast-imaging photodiode array combined with standard field potential recordings. The effects of adenosine (1-50 micromol/l) on the spatial distribution of stimulus-induced activities were studied in non-epileptiform as well as epileptiform conditions. Epileptiform activity was induced by omission of Mg(2+) from the bath medium. The adenosine's inhibitory effects on the amplitude and spatial extent of stimulus-induced bioelectric activity in the hippocampus were most prominent in strata radiatum and pyramidale in both control and epileptic mediums. Adenosine's inhibitory actions were different on various layers of neocortical tissues in non-epileptiform and epileptiform conditions. Layers II and III showed the most inhibition by application of adenosine in control slices. In epileptiform medium, however, adenosine exerts significant suppressive effects only in layer I of neocortical slices. The data demonstrate a region-specific modulatory potential of adenosine on neuronal network excitability in the hippocampus and neocortex. This may be important in local adenosine therapy in epilepsy.

Brief ischemia causes long-term depression in midbrain dopamine neurons

Degeneration of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) plays an important role in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinsonism and vascular dementia. SNc dopamine neurons both in vitro and in vivo show sensitivity to hypoxic/ischemic conditions and undergo degeneration. In acute brain slices, these dopamine neurons undergo hyperpolarization during hypoxia and hypoglycemia, which results in silencing of the neurons. However, the role that SNc excitatory synapses play in this process is poorly understood. Here we examined the effect of oxygen/glucose deprivation (OGD) on glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the SNc in a rat midbrain slice preparation. OGD for 5 min caused pre-synaptic ischemic long-term depression (iLTD) of glutamate transmission, as both alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid- and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated synaptic currents in SNc dopamine neurons were depressed to a similar extent. This depression began immediately after exposure to OGD and was not recovered upon washout of OGD. Pharmacological studies revealed that the iLTD was triggered by a rise in post-synaptic intracellular calcium and mediated by activation of pre-synaptic adenosine A(1) receptors, which reduced glutamate-dependent synaptic transmission by activating ATP-dependent potassium channels. Furthermore, we observed that iLTD did not occlude tetanic long-term depression (LTD) at the SNc excitatory synapses, suggesting that these two forms of LTD involve different pathways. Taken together, our results showed that brief exposure to hypoxia and hypoglycemia results in LTD of synaptic activity at glutamatergic synapses onto SNc neurons and this phenomenon could represent a protective mechanism by reducing ischemia-induced excitotoxic injury to dopamine neurons.

The role of ATP and adenosine in the brain under normoxic and ischemic conditions

By taking advantage of some recently synthesized compounds that are able to block ecto-ATPase activity, we demonstrated that adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the hippocampus exerts an inhibitory action independent of its degradation to adenosine. In addition, tonic activation of P2 receptors contributes to the normally recorded excitatory neurotransmission. The role of P2 receptors becomes critical during ischemia when extracellular ATP concentrations increase. Under such conditions, P2 antagonism is protective. Although ATP exerts a detrimental role under ischemia, it also exerts a trophic role in terms of cell division and differentiation. We recently reported that ATP is spontaneously released from human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) in culture. Moreover, it decreases hMSC proliferation rate at early stages of culture. Increased hMSC differentiation could account for an ATP-induced decrease in cell proliferation. ATP as a homeostatic regulator might exert a different effect on cell trophism according to the rate of its efflux and receptor expression during the cell life cycle. During ischemia, adenosine formed by intracellular ATP escapes from cells through the equilibrative transporter. The protective role of adenosine A(1) receptors during ischemia is well accepted. However, the use of selective A(1) agonists is hampered by unwanted peripheral effects, thus attention has been focused on A(2A) and A(3) receptors. The protective effects of A(2A) antagonists in brain ischemia may be largely due to reduced glutamate outflow from neurones and glial cells. Reduced activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases that are involved in neuronal death through transcriptional mechanisms may also contribute to protection by A(2A) antagonism. Evidence that A(3) receptor antagonism may be protective after ischemia is also reported.

Purinergic modulation of glutamate release under ischemic-like conditions in the hippocampus

The aim of the present study was to explore whether endogenous activation of different purine receptors by ATP and adenosine contributes to or inhibits excess glutamate release evoked by ischemic-like conditions in rat hippocampal slices. Combined oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) elicited a substantial, [Ca(2+)](o)-independent release of [(3)H]glutamate, which was tetrodotoxin (1 microM)-sensitive and temperature-dependent. The P2 receptor antagonist pyridoxalphosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4'-disulfonic acid (PPADS, 0.1-10 microM), and the selective P2X(7) receptor antagonist Brilliant Blue G (1-100 nM), decreased OGD-evoked [(3)H]glutamate efflux indicating that endogenous ATP facilitates ischemia-evoked glutamate release. The selective A(1)-receptor antagonist 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine (DPCPX, 0.1-250 nM) and the selective A(2A) receptor antagonists 4-(2-[7-amino-2-)2-furyl(triazolo-[1,3,5]triazin-5-ylamino]ethyl)phenol (ZM241385, 0.1-20 nM) and 7-(2-phenylethyl)-5-amino-2-(2-furyl)-pyrazolo-[4,3-e]-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine (SCH58261, 2-100 nM) decreased OGD-evoked [(3)H]glutamate efflux, indicating that endogenous adenosine also facilitates glutamate release under these conditions. The effect of DPCPX and ZM241385 was reversed, whereas the action of P2 receptor antagonists was potentiated by the selective ecto-ATPase inhibitor 6-N,N-diethyl-D-beta,gamma-dibromomethyleneATP (ARL67156, 50 microM). The binding characteristic of the A(2A) ligand [(3)H]CGS21680 to hippocampal membranes did not change significantly in response to OGD. Taken together these data suggest that while A(1) receptors might became desensitized, A(2A) and P2X receptor-mediated facilitation of glutamate release by endogenous ATP and its breakdown product adenosine remains operational under long-term OGD. Therefore the inhibition of P2X/A(2A) receptors rather than the stimulation of A(1) adenosine receptors could be an effective approach to attenuate glutamatergic excitotoxicity and thereby counteract ischemia-induced neurodegeneration.

Anticonvulsant effect of A1 but not A2A adenosine receptors of piriform cortex in amygdala-kindled rats

In this study, the effect of A1 and A2A adenosine receptor activity of the piriform cortex (PC) on amygdala-kindled seizures was investigated in rats. Animals were kindled by daily electrical stimulation of the amygdala. In fully kindled rats, N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA, a selective A1 agonist), 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dimethylxanthine (CPT, a selective A1 antagonist), CGS21680 hydrochloride (CGS, a selective A2A agonist), and ZM241385 (ZM, a selective A2A antagonist) were microinjected bilaterally into the PC. Rats were stimulated 5 min post-drug microinjection and seizure parameters were measured. Results showed that intra-PC CHA (10 and 100 μmol/L) decreased the duration of both afterdischarge and stage 5 seizure and significantly increased the latency to stage 4 seizure. Intra-PC CPT increased afterdischarge and stage 5 seizure duration at the dose of 20 μmol/L. The anticonvulsant effect of CHA (100 μmol/L) was eliminated by CPT (10 μmol/L) pretreatment. On the other hand, neither intra-PC CGS nor ZM had a significant effect on kindled seizures. These results suggest that activity of A1, but not A2A, receptors of the PC have anticonvulsant effects on kindled seizures elicited from electrical stimulation of the amygdala.

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions of aminophylline and topiramate in the mouse maximal electroshock-induced seizure model

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of acute (single) and chronic (twice daily for 14 consecutive days) treatments with aminophylline (theophylline(2).ethylenediamine) on the anticonvulsant potential of topiramate (a broad-spectrum antiepileptic drug) in the mouse maximal electroshock-induced seizure model. Additionally, the effects of acute and chronic administration of aminophylline on the adverse effect potential of topiramate were assessed in the chimney test (motor performance). To evaluate pharmacokinetic characteristics of interaction between topiramate and aminophylline, total brain concentrations of topiramate and theophylline were estimated with fluorescence polarization immunoassay technique. Results indicate that aminophylline in non-convulsive doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg (i.p.), both in acute and chronic experiments, markedly attenuated the anticonvulsant potential of topiramate by raising its ED(50) value against maximal electroconvulsions. Aminophylline at a lower dose of 25 mg/kg did not affect significantly the ED(50) value of topiramate in the acute experiment, but the drug markedly increased the ED(50) value of topiramate during the chronic treatment in mice. Only, aminophylline at 12.5 mg/kg, in both acute and chronic experiments, did not affect the antielectroshock action of topiramate in mice. Moreover, aminophylline at a dose of 100 mg/kg had no impact on the adverse effect potential of topiramate in the chimney test. Pharmacokinetic evaluation of total brain concentrations of topiramate and theophylline revealed that topiramate significantly increased total brain theophylline concentrations following both acute and chronic applications of aminophylline. Conversely, aminophylline did not alter total brain concentrations of topiramate in mice. Based on this preclinical study, one can conclude that aminophylline attenuated the antiseizure action of topiramate in the mouse maximal electroshock-induced seizure model and the observed interaction between drugs was both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic in nature.

The Effect of Cyclohexyladenosine on the Penischemic Increases of Hippocampal Glutamate and Glycine in the Rabbit

We investigated the ability of N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA), a potent and selective agonist of the adenosine A1 receptor, to attenuate elevations of levels of extracellular hippocampal glutamate and glycine that result from episodes of transient global cerebral ischemia (TGCI). A total of 30 New Zealand white rabbits were randomly assigned to receive 0 (n = 5), 0.1 (n = 8), 1.0 (n = 6), 10 (n = 6), or 100 (n = 5) microM CHA. The drug was dissolved in artificial CSF (vehicle) and administered via a microdialysis probe placed stereotactically into the dorsal hippocampus. A second microdialysis probe placed into the contralateral hippocampus of each animal was perfused with vehicle alone. Ten minutes of TGCI was induced by neck tourniquet inflation and deliberate hypotension from 0 to 10 min. Microdialysis samples were collected as follows: every 20 min preischemia (at -80, -60, -40, -20, and 0 min); every 5 min during ischemia and in the immediate reperfusion period (at 5, 10, 15, and 20 min); and every 20 min for the remainder of the reperfusion period (at 40, 60, and 80 min). Samples were then analyzed for their concentration of glutamate and glycine by HPLC. Following 10 min of ischemia, glutamate levels increased to a peak of 3.28 +/- 0.55 times baseline and returned to preischemic levels by 40 min, i.e., during reperfusion. Glycine concentrations increased to 5.41 +/- 0.91 times over baseline and remained elevated for the duration of the study.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Quality control of Cordyceps sinensis, a valued traditional Chinese medicine

Cordyceps sinensis, a well-known and valued traditional Chinese medicine, is also called DongChongXiaCao (winter worm summer grass) in Chinese. It is commonly used to replenish the kidney and soothe the lung for the treatment of fatigue, night sweating, hyposexualities, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, asthemia after severe illness, respiratory disease, renal dysfunction and renal failure, arrhythmias and other heart disease, and liver disease. As the rarity and upstanding curative effects of natural Cordyceps, several mycelial strains have been isolated from natural Cordyceps and manufactured in large quantities by fermentation technology, and they are commonly sold as health food products in Asia. In addition, some substitutes such as Cordyceps militaris also have been used and adulterants also confused the market. Therefore, quality control of C. sinensis and its products is very important to ensure their safety and efficacy. Herein, markers and analytical methods for quality control of Cordyceps were reviewed and discussed.