PAF antagonist, BN52021, inhibits [3H]D-aspartate release after ischaemia in vitro

Targeted disruption of PSD-93 gene reduces platelet-activating factor-induced neurotoxicity in cultured cortical neurons

PSD-93, a molecular adaptive protein, binds to and clusters the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and assembles a specific set of signaling proteins (for example neuronal nitric oxide synthase, nNOS) around the NMDA receptor at synapses in the central nervous system. This suggests that PSD-93 might mediate many NMDA receptor-dependent physiological and pathophysiological functions. We report here that PSD-93 colocalizes and interacts with the NMDA receptor and neuronal nitric oxide synthase in cultured cortical neurons. Targeted disruption of PSD-93 gene significantly prevented NMDA receptor-nitric oxide signaling-dependent neurotoxicity triggered via platelet-activating factor (PAF) receptor activation. In addition, the deficiency of PSD-93 markedly attenuated platelet-activating factor-induced increase in cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) and prevented platelet-activating factor-promoted formation of NMDA receptor-neuronal nitric oxide synthase complex. These findings indicate that PSD-93 is involved in the NMDA receptor--nitric oxide-mediated pathological processing of neuronal damage triggered via platelet--activating factor receptor activation. Since platelet-activating factor is a potent neuronal injury mediator during the development of brain trauma, seizures, and ischemia, the present work suggests that PSD-93 might contribute to molecular mechanisms of neuronal damage in these brain disorders.

Platelet-activating factor evokes Ca2+ transients after the blockade of ryanodine receptor by dantrolene in RAW 264.7 macrophages

In the present study we studied platelet-activating factor (PAF)-, and ATP-induced increases in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) using RAW 264.7 macrophages filled with fura-2/AM and imaged with fluorescence video microscopy. We found that the prevalence of detectable [Ca2+]i responses to PAF application was significantly higher in the presence of dantrolene. Dantrolene itself significantly decreased basal [Ca2+]i of macrophages compared to control cases after a 20-min incubation period. In the dantrolene-treated cells even the peak [Ca2+]i in response to PAF (as an average of all cells) was below the baseline of control suggesting that decreased [Ca2+]i plays a permissive role in the Ca2+ rise induced by PAF in macrophages. In contrast to the effect of PAF, neither the amplitude of response to ATP nor the frequency of responding cells changed significantly during dantrolene treatment in our experiments. These cells were able to respond to a standard immune stimulus as well: lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was able to increase [Ca2+]i. Our data indicate that the effectiveness of PAF to increase [Ca2+]i in RAW 264.7 macrophages depends on the resting [Ca2+]i. It has also been shown in this study that PAF and ATP differently regulate Ca2+ homeostasis in macrophages during inflammatory response and therefore they possibly differently modulate cytokine production by macrophages.

Enhancement of glutamate release by L-fucose changes effects of glutamate receptor antagonists on long-term potentiation in the rat hippocampus

In previous studies L-fucose has been shown to facilitate long-term memory formation and to enhance and prolong long-term potentiation (LTP). To search for possible presynaptic or postsynaptic mechanisms that are affected by L-fucose, we examined the effect of L-fucose on (1) inhibition of LTP induction via glutamate receptors by antagonists, (2) paired-pulse facilitation, and (3) presynaptic transmitter release. Coapplication of 0.2 mM L-fucose with the competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, D-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (AP5), or coapplication of 0.2 mM L-fucose in the presence of an inhibitor for class I/II metabotropic glutamate receptors, (S)-alpha-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine (MCPG), reversed LTP blockade in the CA1-region of hippocampal slices. In contrast, L-fucose had no effect on the LTP blockade by the noncompetitive NMDA ion-channel blocker (5R,10S)-(+)-5-Methyl-10, 11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5, 10-imine hydrogen maleate (MK-801). Paired-pulse facilitation, which is a primarily presynaptic phenomenon of short-term plasticity, was decreased in the presence of 0.2 mM L-fucose. Furthermore, L-fucose enhanced the K(+)-stimulated release of [(3)H]-D-aspartate from preloaded hippocampal slices in a concentration-dependent manner. These observations demonstrate an influence of L-fucose on transmitter release that in turn can increase transmitter availability at postsynaptic glutamate receptors. This effect of L-fucose may contribute to the LTP facilitation seen in vitro and in vivo as well as to improvement in memory formation.

3H-L-glutamate binding and 3H-D-aspartate release from hippocampal tissue during the development of pentylenetetrazole kindling in rats

Previous studies have proposed that there is an increase in the density of glutamate binding sites after pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) kindling, whereas the glutamate release is not altered. Little is known about the time course of these changes. Therefore, we studied 3H-L-glutamate binding to hippocampal membranes and K+-stimulated 3H-D-aspartate release from hippocampal slices of rats given PTZ 3, 7, and 13 times up to a fully kindling state. After three PTZ injections, amino acid release from hippocampal tissue slices was significantly enhanced in comparison to controls, whereas 3H-L-glutamate binding was not altered. After seven injections of PTZ, specific glutamate binding to hippocampal membranes tended to increase, and K+-stimulated 3H-D-aspartate release from rat hippocampal slices was normalized. The kindled state characterized by generalized clonic-tonic seizures was reached after 13 PTZ injections, and it was accompanied by an enhancement in the density of glutamate binding sites, whereas the chemically evoked amino acid release remained unchanged. It can be concluded that the amino acid release is increased in the early phase of PTZ kindling development, whereas after completion of kindling, the density of excitatory amino acid binding sites is enhanced.

Ribonuclease improves the state of hippocampal sections in the post-ischemic period

Living hippocampal slices from Wistar rats were used to study the dynamics of changes in population electrical responses in field CA1 to electrical stimulation of Shaffer collaterals during the development of ischemia (imposed by exclusion of oxygen and glucose from the perfusion solution). These studies showed that during ischemia, addition of ribonuclease (a blocker of protein synthesis) to the perfusion solution resulted in a significantly smaller increase in the latent period of the response and slowed the onset of the reduction in the amplitude of the evoked potential, and promoted faster recovery of the response after the ischemia session ended. It is suggested that the reduction in protein synthesis due to ribonuclease preserved energy reserves in the nerve tissue, which in turn promoted more complete recovery of neuron function in the post-ischemic period.

The platelet-activating factor antagonist BN 52021 attenuates hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in the immature rat

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is overproduced in ischemic brain. Although postischemic PAF antagonist administration protects the mature brain in some models, little is known about the effects of PAF antagonists in the immature brain. We hypothesized that the PAF antagonist BN 52021 would attenuate perinatal cerebral hypoxic-ischemic injury. To elicit focal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, 7-d-old (P7) rats (n = 111) underwent right carotid ligation, followed by 2.5-3.25 h of hypoxia (fractional concentration of inspired O2 = 0.08). BN 52021 neuroprotection was evaluated in three groups of experiments: 1) 25 mg/kg/dose, 0 and 2 h posthypoxia; 2), 25 mg/kg/dose immediately before and 1 h after hypoxia; and 3) posthypoxia-ischemia treatment with BN 52021 12.5, 25, or 50 mg/kg/dose in 2 doses 0 and 2 h after hypoxia. All experiments included concurrent vehicle-injected controls. To quantitate severity of injury, bilateral regional cross-sectional areas (groups 1 and 2) or hemisphere weights (group 3) were evaluated on P12. Both pre- and posthypoxic treatment with BN 52021 (25 mg/kg/dose, two serial doses) decreased the incidence of cerebral infarction from 90% to about 30% (p < 0.02, Fisher's exact test). Measurement of cross-sectional areas confirmed neuroprotection and indicated some benefit of pre- over posthypoxic-ischemic treatment in hippocampus and cortex. Over the dose range tested, the neuroprotective effect of BN 52021 administration was not dose-dependent. In contrast, BN 52021 did not attenuate N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced hippocampal excitotoxic injury in P7 rats. Either prophylactic or "rescue" administration of PAF antagonists decreases the incidence and severity of brain injury associated with an episode of perinatal cerebral hypoxia-ischemia.

Modulation of signal transduction in rat synaptoneurosomes by platelet activating factor

The potential involvement of platelet activating factor (PAF, 1-O-alkyl 2-O-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) in aggravation of ischemic brain injury has been recently postulated. Reported evidences in support of this thesis include increases of brain PAF concentration during ischemia and the neuroprotective effect exerted by PAF antagonists. In this article, we demonstrate that several PAF-mediated biochemical responses in synaptoneurosomes in vitro resemble these observed previously in ischemic brain and are widely acknowledged as the potentially causal factors in this pathology. In synaptoneurosomes prepared from rat hippocampus, 10 nM PAF caused an observable elevation of intracellular calcium as measured by fluorescence Fura-2A probe. A similar elevation of synaptoneurosomal [Ca2+]i was evoked by 1 mM glutamate treatment. As an effect of calcium entry after PAF application, a translocation of protein kinase C (PKC) toward plasma membranes was demonstrated by 3H-labeled phorbol-binding method. It was followed by an increase of 50 kDa proteolytic fragment of the enzyme (PKM) recognized on Western blots with anti-PKC antibody. Incubation of synaptoneurosomes in the presence of calcium chelators abolished these effects of PAF and significantly decreased the content of PKC in the membranes. Furthermore, PAF treatment markedly attenuated the receptor- and postreceptor-activated cAMP accumulation in synaptoneurosomes. The decrease of cAMP level seems to be secondary to the PAF-induced calcium entry with subsequent activation of cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase, since it was completely blocked by IBMX, a potent inhibitor of this enzyme. Our observations indicate that PAF in a concentration found in ischemic brain can elevate [Ca2+]i and potentiate calcium-dependent intracellular signalling in synaptoneurosomes in vitro, including PKC translocation/activation and proteolysis, followed by IBMX-sensitive inhibition of cAMP production. The relative contribution of these events to ischemic brain injury is currently under extensive investigation.