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Zheng R, Liu Z, Wang L, Wei Y. Rhizopus arrhizus infection in mice causes brain histopathological alterations and exacerbates neuronal apoptosis. Microb Pathog 2024; 188:106532. [PMID: 38215861 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
Rhizopus arrhizus is a fungus that can cause central nervous system infections in animals, resulting in high morbidity and mortality, but the mechanism of injury is rarely reported. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of Rhizopus arrhizus damage to the central nervous system of mice by observing the clinical neurological symptoms and resolving the pathological changes in the ultrastructure of brain tissues, combined with the alteration of apoptosis-related genes and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The results showed that all the mice in the treated group died, the brain pyknosis of neurons, there were black mycelium aggregates around the blood vessels, and apoptotic vesicles were produced. The RT-qPCR results showed that, compared with the control group, the relative transcriptome levels of Caspase 8 and BcL-2 genes were significantly increased (P < 0.05), the relative transcriptome level of Caspase 9 gene was highly significant (P < 0.01), the relative transcriptome level of Caspase 3 and Bax gene was significantly decreased (P < 0.05), and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the brains of the treated group. TUNEL staining showed that the rate of neuronal apoptosis in the treated group of mice was extremely significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.01). This study shows that Rhizopus arrhizus strain XMLO1 causes brain damage by triggering neuronal apoptosis. This study provided a theoretical basis for revealing the mechanism of Rhizopus arrhizus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization of Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Zishi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization of Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Li Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization of Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Yong Wei
- Animal Genetics and Breeding Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Animal Sciences Academy, Chengdu 610066, China.
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Hollville E, Romero SE, Deshmukh M. Apoptotic cell death regulation in neurons. FEBS J 2019; 286:3276-3298. [PMID: 31230407 DOI: 10.1111/febs.14970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Apoptosis plays a major role in shaping the developing nervous system during embryogenesis as neuronal precursors differentiate to become post-mitotic neurons. However, once neurons are incorporated into functional circuits and become mature, they greatly restrict their capacity to die via apoptosis, thus allowing the mature nervous system to persist in a healthy and functional state throughout life. This robust restriction of the apoptotic pathway during neuronal differentiation and maturation is defined by multiple unique mechanisms that function to more precisely control and restrict the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. However, while these mechanisms are necessary for neuronal survival, mature neurons are still capable of activating the apoptotic pathway in certain pathological contexts. In this review, we highlight key mechanisms governing the survival of post-mitotic neurons, while also detailing the physiological and pathological contexts in which neurons are capable of overcoming this high apoptotic threshold.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Selena E Romero
- Neuroscience Center, UNC Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, UNC Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7250, USA
| | - Mohanish Deshmukh
- Neuroscience Center, UNC Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, UNC Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7250, USA
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3
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Babini G, Ristagno G, Boccardo A, De Giorgio D, De Maglie M, Affatato R, Ceriani S, Zani D, Novelli D, Staszewsky L, Masson S, Pravettoni D, Latini R, Belloli A, Scanziani E, Skrifvars M. Effect of mild hypercapnia on outcome and histological injury in a porcine post cardiac arrest model. Resuscitation 2019; 135:110-117. [DOI: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2018.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Revised: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Ryan F, Khodagholi F, Dargahi L, Minai-Tehrani D, Ahmadiani A. Temporal Pattern and Crosstalk of Necroptosis Markers with Autophagy and Apoptosis Associated Proteins in Ischemic Hippocampus. Neurotox Res 2018; 34:79-92. [PMID: 29313217 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-017-9861-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Revised: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Necroptosis, a novel type of programmed cell death, has been recently implicated as a possible mechanism for cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. We herein studied time-dependent changes of necroptosis markers along with apoptosis- and autophagy-associated proteins in rat hippocampus at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after global cerebral I/R injury. Furthermore, to determine the cross talk between autophagy and necroptosis, we examined the effects of pretreatment with bafilomycin-A1 (Baf-A1), as a late-stage autophagy inhibitor, on necroptosis. Highest levels of receptor-interacting protein 1 and 3 (RIP1 and RIP3), as key mediators of necroptosis, were observed at 24 h after reperfusion. Alongside, activity of glutamate dehydrogenase (GLUD1), downstream enzyme of RIP3, was increased. Peak time of necroptosis was subsequent to caspase-3-dependent cell death that peaked at 12 h of reperfusion but concurrent with autophagy. Administration of Baf-A1 could attenuate necroptosis, verified by decrease in RIP1 and RIP3 protein levels, as well as GLUD1 activity. However, there was no significant change in caspase-3-dependent cell death. Taken together, our results highlight that global cerebral I/R activates necroptosis that could be triggered by autophagy and interacts reversely with caspase-3-dependent apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fari Ryan
- Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fariba Khodagholi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Leila Dargahi
- NeuroBiology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Dariush Minai-Tehrani
- Bioresearch Lab, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University G.C, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abolhassan Ahmadiani
- Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Abstract
Global and focal ischemias induce a variety of gene families, including immediate early genes, cytokines, neurotransmitter receptors, and heat-shock proteins. The Janus-like effects of several of these gene prod ucts promote neuronal survival and degeneration. Therefore, determining the molecular pathways respon sible for the differential regulation of these genes is of paramount importance. The discovery of apoptosis as a mediator of delayed neuronal death has led to the identification of a number of other genes involved in postischemic brain damage. Future neuroprotective therapies for cerebral ischemia may be directed at preventing alterations in gene expression. NEUROSCIENTIST 5:238-253, 1999
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean I. Savitz
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Albert Einstein
College of Medicine Bronx, New York
| | - Daniel M. Rosenbaum
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Ophthalmology
Albert Einstein College of Medicine Bronx, New York
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Methylmercury upregulates RE-1 silencing transcription factor (REST) in SH-SY5Y cells and mouse cerebellum. Neurotoxicology 2015; 52:89-97. [PMID: 26610923 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2015.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Revised: 11/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a highly neurotoxic compound that, in adequate doses, can cause damage to the brain, including developmental defects and in severe cases cell death. The RE-1-silencing transcription factor (REST) has been found to be involved in the neurotoxic effects of environmental pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). In this study, we investigated the effects of MeHg treatment on REST expression and its role in MeHg-induced neurotoxicity in neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. We found that MeHg exposure caused a dose- and time- dependent apoptotic cell death, as evidenced by the appearance of apoptotic hallmarks including caspase-3 processing and annexin V uptake. Moreover, MeHg increased REST gene and gene product expression. MeHg-induced apoptotic cell death was completely abolished by REST knockdown. Interestingly, MeHg (1μM/24h) increased the expression of REST Corepressor (Co-REST) and its binding with REST whereas the other REST cofactor mammalian SIN3 homolog A transcription regulator (mSin3A) was not modified. In addition, we demonstrated that the acetylation of histone protein H4 was reduced after MeHg treatment and was critical for MeHg-induced apoptosis. Accordingly, the pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin-A (TSA) prevented MeHg-induced histone protein H4 deacetylation, thereby reverting MeHg-induced neurotoxic effect. Male mice subcutaneously injected with 10mg/kg of MeHg for 10 days showed an increase in REST expression in the granule cell layer of the cerebellum together with a decrease in histone H4 acetylation. Collectively, we demonstrated that methylmercury exposure can cause neurotoxicity by activating REST gene expression and H4 deacetylation.
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Schmidt-Kastner R. Genomic approach to selective vulnerability of the hippocampus in brain ischemia–hypoxia. Neuroscience 2015; 309:259-79. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.08.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2015] [Revised: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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8
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Wang B, Tian S, Wang J, Han F, Zhao L, Wang R, Ning W, Chen W, Qu Y. Intraperitoneal administration of thioredoxin decreases brain damage from ischemic stroke. Brain Res 2015; 1615:89-97. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.04.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Revised: 04/15/2015] [Accepted: 04/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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9
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Zuo W, Zhang W, Han N, Chen NH. Compound IMM-H004, a novel coumarin derivative, protects against CA1 cell loss and spatial learning impairments resulting from transient global ischemia. CNS Neurosci Ther 2015; 21:280-8. [PMID: 25601434 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2014] [Revised: 10/26/2014] [Accepted: 10/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Compound IMM-H004 (7-hydroxy-5-methoxy-4-methyl-3-[4-methylpiperazin-1-yl]-2H-chromen-2-one) is a new synthetic derivative of coumarin, and previous studies showed that it exhibited antioxidant and neuroprotective roles in focal cerebral ischemia. However, we know little about the compound's function in transient global ischemia. This study is to investigate whether compound IMM-H004 can protect against transient global ischemic injury. METHODS Four-vessel occlusion (4VO) rat model was induced for a 20-min occlusion and different times of reperfusion to mimic transient global cerebral ischemia. IMM-H004 (3, 6, 9 mg/kg) or Edaravone (6 mg/kg) was administered after 30 min of reperfusion. Morris water maze tests were used to estimate the ability of spatial learning and memory. Nissl staining, TUNEL assay and Immunoblot for Bax/Bcl-2 and activated caspase-3 were used to detect hippocampal neuron injury. Immunoblot for PSD-95 and synapsin 1, and electron microscopy were used to observe synaptic function. RESULTS Compared with vehicle group, IMM-H004 significantly improved the spatial learning performance and exhibited less CA1 neurons loss. The expressions of Bax/Bcl-2 and activated caspase-3 were decreased. IMM-H004 also ameliorated synaptic structure, decreased PSD-95 and increased synapsin 1 expression. CONCLUSION These findings suggested that IMM-H004 exerted neuroprotective role in global ischemia by reducing apoptosis and maintaining the integrity of synaptic structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Function Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Xuanwu District, Beijing, China
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Ahmed MAE, El Morsy EM, Ahmed AAE. Pomegranate extract protects against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury and preserves brain DNA integrity in rats. Life Sci 2014; 110:61-9. [PMID: 25010842 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2014.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2014] [Revised: 06/14/2014] [Accepted: 06/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
AIM Interruption to blood flow causes ischemia and infarction of brain tissues with consequent neuronal damage and brain dysfunction. Pomegranate extract is well tolerated, and safely consumed all over the world. Interestingly, pomegranate extract has shown remarkable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in experimental models. Many investigators consider natural extracts as novel therapies for neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the protective effects of standardized pomegranate extract against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion-induced brain injury in rats. MAIN METHODS Adult male albino rats were randomly divided into sham-operated control group, ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) group, and two other groups that received standardized pomegranate extract at two dose levels (250, 500 mg/kg) for 15 days prior to ischemia/reperfusion (PMG250+I/R, and PMG500+I/R groups). After I/R or sham operation, all rats were sacrificed and brains were harvested for subsequent biochemical analysis. KEY FINDINGS Results showed reduction in brain contents of MDA (malondialdehyde), and NO (nitric oxide), in addition to enhancement of SOD (superoxide dismutase), GPX (glutathione peroxidase), and GRD (glutathione reductase) activities in rats treated with pomegranate extract prior to cerebral I/R. Moreover, pomegranate extract decreased brain levels of NF-κB p65 (nuclear factor kappa B p65), TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-alpha), caspase-3 and increased brain levels of IL-10 (interleukin-10), and cerebral ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production. Comet assay showed less brain DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) damage in rats protected with pomegranate extract. SIGNIFICANCE The present study showed, for the first time, that pre-administration of pomegranate extract to rats, can offer a significant dose-dependent neuroprotective activity against cerebral I/R brain injury and DNA damage via antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and ATP-replenishing effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maha A E Ahmed
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Misr University for Science and Technology (MUST), 6th of October City, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Engy M El Morsy
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Ein Helwan, Helwan, Egypt
| | - Amany A E Ahmed
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Ein Helwan, Helwan, Egypt
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Li M, Peng J, Wang MD, Song YL, Mei YW, Fang Y. Passive Movement Improves the Learning and Memory Function of Rats with Cerebral Infarction by Inhibiting Neuron Cell Apoptosis. Mol Neurobiol 2013; 49:216-21. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-013-8512-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2013] [Accepted: 07/08/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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12
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Generation of hydrogen peroxide mediates hanging death-induced neuronal cell apoptosis in the dentate gyrus of the rat brain. Brain Res Bull 2013; 95:54-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2013.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2012] [Revised: 03/05/2013] [Accepted: 03/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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13
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Li M, Peng J, Song Y, Liang H, Mei Y, Fang Y. Electro-acupuncture combined with transcranial magnetic stimulation improves learning and memory function of rats with cerebral infarction by inhibiting neuron cell apoptosis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 32:746-749. [PMID: 23073807 DOI: 10.1007/s11596-012-1028-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) combined with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy at different time windows on learning and memory ability of rats with cerebral infarction and the underlying mechanism. Two hundred SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal group, sham-operated group, model group and EA+TMS group, and each group was then divided into five sub-groups in terms of the different time to start treatment post operation: 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h. Cerebral infarction models were established in the model and the EA+TMS groups by left middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R). After treatment for 14 d, the Morris water maze test was applied to examine the spatial learning and memory abilities of rats. In infarcted area, the expression of caspase-3 was immunohistochemically detected, and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to measure the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA. The results showed that in EA+TMS group compared with model group at the same treatment time windows, the escape latency was substantially shortened, the expression of caspase-3 was considerably decreased and the expression level of Bcl-2 mRNA significantly increased (P<0.05). In the EA+TMS sub-groups, the escape latency was shortest, the expression level of caspase-3 lowest, and the expression level of Bcl-2 mRNA highest at the treatment time window of 24 h. It was concluded that EA combined with TMS can promote neurological function of rats with cerebral infarction by increasing the expression level of Bcl-2 mRNA and decreasing the expression of caspase-3. The best time window is 24 h after perfusion treatment to ischemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Li
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430032, China
| | - Jun Peng
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430032, China
| | - Yanling Song
- Department of Neurology, Central Hospital of Weinan, Weinan, 714000, China
| | - Hui Liang
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430032, China
| | - Yuanwu Mei
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430032, China
| | - Yuan Fang
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430032, China.
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Li R, Xu X, Chen C, Yu X, Edin ML, Degraff LM, Lee CR, Zeldin DC, Wang DW. Cytochrome P450 2J2 is protective against global cerebral ischemia in transgenic mice. Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat 2012; 99:68-78. [PMID: 23041291 DOI: 10.1016/j.prostaglandins.2012.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2012] [Revised: 09/20/2012] [Accepted: 09/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cytochrome P450 epoxygenase metabolites of arachidonic acid, EETs, have multiple cardiovascular effects, including reduction of blood pressure, protection against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, and attenuation of endothelial apoptosis. This study investigated the hypothesis that transgenic mice with endothelial overexpression of CYP2J2 (Tie2-CYP2J2-Tr) would be protected against global cerebral ischemia induced by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) and action mechanisms of EETs on cerebral ischemia in cultures of astrocytes exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). Tie2-CYP2J2-Tr mice had significantly increased CYP2J2 expression, increased 14,15-EET production, increases regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and microvascular density, decreased ROS production, decreased brain infarct size and apoptosis after ischemia compared to wild type mice, these were associated with increased activation of the PI3K/AKT and apoptosis-related protein in ischemic brain. Addition of exogenous EETs or CYP2J2 transfection attenuated OGD-induced apoptosis in astrocytes via activation of PI3K/AKT and anti-apoptosis pathways. However, these effects were reduced by pretreatments with inhibitor of the PI3K (LY294002) and 14,15-EET (14,15-EEZE), respectively. These results indicate that CYP2J2 overexpression exerts marked neuroprotective effects against ischemic injury by a mechanism linked to increased level of circulating EETs and increases CBF and reduction of apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Li
- Department of Internal Medicine and Gene Therapy Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
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Erşahin M, Çevik Ö, Akakın D, Şener A, Özbay L, Yegen BC, Şener G. Montelukast inhibits caspase-3 activity and ameliorates oxidative damage in the spinal cord and urinary bladder of rats with spinal cord injury. Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat 2012; 99:131-9. [PMID: 22986158 DOI: 10.1016/j.prostaglandins.2012.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2012] [Revised: 08/29/2012] [Accepted: 09/07/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to an inflammatory response that generates substantial secondary damage within the tissue besides the primary damage. Leukotrienes are biologically active 5-lipoxygenase products of arachidonic acid metabolism that are involved in the mediation of various inflammatory disorders including SCI. In this study, we investigated the possible protective effects of montelukast, a leukotriene receptor blocker, on SCI-induced oxidative damage. Wistar albino rats (n=24) were divided randomly as control, vehicle- or montelukast (10mg/kg, ip)-treated SCI groups. To induce SCI, a standard weight-drop method that induced a moderately severe injury at T10 was used. Vehicle or montelukast were administered to the injured animals 15 min after injury. At seven days post-injury, neurological examination was performed and rats were decapitated. Blood samples were taken to evaluate leukotriene B4 levels, and pro-inflmamatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β) while in spinal cord and urinary bladder samples malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), luminol chemiluminescence (CL) levels and myeloperoxidase (MPO) and caspase-3 activities were determined. Tissues were also evaluated histologically. SCI caused significant decreases in tissue GSH, which were accompanied with significant increases in luminol CL and MDA levels and MPO and caspase-3 activities, while pro-inflammatory cytokines in the plasma were elevated. On the other hand, montelukast treatment reversed these parameters and improved histological findings. In conclusion, SCI caused oxidative tissue injury through the activation of pro-inflammatory mediators and by neutrophil infiltration into tissues, and the neuroprotective and antiapoptotic effects of montelukast are mediated by the inhibition of lipid peroxidation, neutrophil accumulation and pro-inflammatory cytokine release. Moreover, montelukast does not only exert antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects on the spinal cord, but it has a significant impact on the bladder tissue damage secondary to SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Erşahin
- Istanbul Medeniyet University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey
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16
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Dalkara T, Moskowitz MA. Apoptosis and Related Mechanisms in Cerebral Ischemia. Stroke 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-1-4160-5478-8.10007-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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17
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Feng S, Wang Q, Wang H, Peng Y, Wang L, Lu Y, Shi T, Xiong L. Electroacupuncture pretreatment ameliorates hypergravity-induced impairment of learning and memory and apoptosis of hippocampal neurons in rats. Neurosci Lett 2010; 478:150-5. [PMID: 20457216 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2010.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2009] [Revised: 04/06/2010] [Accepted: 05/04/2010] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
High-sustained positive acceleration (+Gz) exposures might lead to impairment in cognitive function. Our previous studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment can attenuate transient focal cerebral ischemic injury in the rats. In this study we aimed to investigate whether EA pretreatment could ameliorate the impairment of learning and memory induced by a sustained +Gz exposure. Using the centrifuge model, rats of experimental groups were exposed to +10 Gz for 5 min. Morris water maze was used for assessing the cognitive ability, and the apoptotic hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neuronal cells were evaluated by caspase-3 activity and TUNEL staining. Our results showed that +Gz exposure significantly caused pyramidal neuronal damage, increased neuronal apoptosis and caspase-3 activity in hippocampal CA1 region, as well as resulted in an impairment of spatial learning and memory, as compared to the sham group animals. Furthermore, the EA pretreatment significantly attenuated the neuronal apoptosis, preserved neuronal morphology and inhibited the caspase-3 activity in hippocampal CA1 region resulted from +Gz exposure. The EA pretreatment also ameliorated the learning and memory function in rats exposed to +Gz. These findings indicate that EA pretreatment provides a novel method to prevent the cognitive damage caused by +Gz, which could significantly protect neuronal damage and impairment of learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shufang Feng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
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Su D, Su Z, Wang J, Yang S, Ma J. UCF-101, A Novel Omi/HtrA2 Inhibitor, Protects Against Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2009; 292:854-61. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.20910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Danielisová V, Gottlieb M, Némethová M, Kravčuková P, Domoráková I, Mechírová E, Burda J. Bradykinin Postconditioning Protects Pyramidal CA1 Neurons Against Delayed Neuronal Death in Rat Hippocampus. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2009; 29:871-8. [DOI: 10.1007/s10571-009-9369-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2008] [Accepted: 02/12/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Vagus nerve mediates the protective effects of melanocortins against cerebral and systemic damage after ischemic stroke. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2009; 29:512-23. [PMID: 19018269 DOI: 10.1038/jcbfm.2008.140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
A vagus nerve-mediated, efferent cholinergic protective pathway activated by melanocortins is operative in circulatory shock and myocardial ischemia. Moreover, melanocortins have neuroprotective effects against brain damage after ischemic stroke. Here we investigated cerebral and systemic pathophysiologic reactions to focal cerebral ischemia in rats induced by intrastriatal microinjection of endothelin-1, and the possible protective role of the melanocortin-activated vagal cholinergic pathway. In the striatum and liver of saline-treated control rats, the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases, c-jun N-terminal kinases, and caspase-3, the increase in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) concentration and DNA fragmentation, as well as the increase in TNF-alpha plasma levels, occurred 10 and 20 h after the ischemic insult suggesting an activation of inflammatory and apoptotic responses. Treatment with [Nle(4), D-Phe(7)]alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (NDP-alpha-MSH; 3 or 9 h after stroke) suppressed the inflammatory and apoptotic cascades at central and peripheral level. Bilateral vagotomy and pharmacologic blockade of peripheral nicotinic acetylcholine receptors blunted the protective effect of NDP-alpha-MSH. The present results show that focal brain ischemia in rats causes significant effects not only in the brain, but also in the liver. Moreover, our data support the hypothesis that a protective, melanocortin-activated, vagal cholinergic pathway is likely operative in conditions of ischemic stroke.
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Inokuchi JI. Neurotrophic and neuroprotective actions of an enhancer of ganglioside biosynthesis. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2009; 85:319-36. [PMID: 19607978 DOI: 10.1016/s0074-7742(09)85022-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
To address the role of brain gangliosides in synaptic plasticity, the synthetic ceramide analog, 1-phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol (PDMP) was used to manipulate the biosynthesis of gangliosides in cultured cortical neurons. Spontaneous synchronized oscillatory activity of intracellular Ca(2+) between the neurons, which represents synapse formation, was suppressed by the depletion of endogenous gangliosides by d-threo-PDMP, an inhibitor of glucosylceramide synthase. On the other hand, the enantiomer of inhibitor, l-threo-PDMP, could elevate cellular levels of gangliosides by upregulating several glycosyltransferases responsible for ganglioside biosynthesis. This review presents our findings on the neurotrophic actions of l-threo-PDMP in vitro and in vivo. We found that l-PDMP could upregulate neurite outgrowth, and functional synapse formation through activating GM3, GD3, and GQ1b synthases. Simultaneously, the activity of p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase was also facilitated by l-PDMP. To evaluate the efficacy of this drug on long term memory, rats were trained for 2 weeks using an 8-arm radial maze task, and then forebrain ischemia was induced by four-vessel occlusion. Repeated treatment of l-PDMP starting 24h after the ischemia, improved the deficit of the well-learned spatial memory and prevented the ischemia-induced apoptosis in hippocampus, demonstrating the potential therapeutic use of the ceramide analog for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Ichi Inokuchi
- Division of Glycopathology, Institute of Molecular Biomembranes and Glycobiology, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, 4-4-1, komatsushima, Aoba-ku, Sendai 981-8558, Miyagi, Japan
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22
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Abstract
The development of small molecules to modulate caspase activity offers a novel therapeutic strategy in the treatment of apoptosis-related and inflammatory diseases. Caspases are key mediators of apoptosis and inflammation; deregulation of their activation or expression can lead to the development of conditions such as neurodegenerative and autoinflammatory disorders. This review details the different caspase-associated disorders while focusing on caspase-1 inhibition as a potential therapeutic strategy. Problems facing the development of effective and safe caspase therapeutics will also be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Howley
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - HO Fearnhead
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
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Dejda A, Jolivel V, Bourgault S, Seaborn T, Fournier A, Vaudry H, Vaudry D. Inhibitory effect of PACAP on caspase activity in neuronal apoptosis: a better understanding towards therapeutic applications in neurodegenerative diseases. J Mol Neurosci 2008; 36:26-37. [PMID: 18506634 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-008-9087-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2008] [Accepted: 04/14/2008] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Programmed cell death, which is part of the normal development of the central nervous system, is also implicated in various neurodegenerative disorders. Cysteine-dependent aspartate-specific proteases (caspases) play a pivotal role in the cascade of events leading to apoptosis. Many factors that inhibit cell death have now been identified, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) has been shown to exert neurotrophic activities during development and to prevent neuronal apoptosis induced by various insults such as ischemia. Most of the neuroprotective effects of PACAP are mediated through the PAC1 receptor. This receptor activates a transduction cascade of second messengers to stimulate Bcl-2 expression, which inhibits cytochrome c release and blocks the activation of caspases. The inhibitory effect of PACAP on the apoptotic cascade suggests that selective, stable, and potent PACAP derivatives could potentially be of therapeutic value for the treatment of post-traumatic and/or chronic neurodegenerative processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Dejda
- INSERM U413, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
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24
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Sudhakar C, Jain N, Swarup G. Sp1-like sequences mediate human caspase-3 promoter activation by p73 and cisplatin. FEBS J 2008; 275:2200-13. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2008.06373.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Nakka VP, Gusain A, Mehta SL, Raghubir R. Molecular mechanisms of apoptosis in cerebral ischemia: multiple neuroprotective opportunities. Mol Neurobiol 2008; 37:7-38. [PMID: 18066503 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-007-8013-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 210] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2007] [Accepted: 11/05/2007] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury triggers multiple and distinct but overlapping cell signaling pathways, which may lead to cell survival or cell damage. There is overwhelming evidence to suggest that besides necrosis, apoptosis do contributes significantly to the cell death subsequent to I/R injury. Both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways play a vital role, and upon initiation, these pathways recruit downstream apoptotic molecules to execute cell death. Caspases and Bcl-2 family members appear to be crucial in regulating multiple apoptotic cell death pathways initiated during I/R. Similarly, inhibitor of apoptosis family of proteins (IAPs), mitogen-activated protein kinases, and newly identified apoptogenic molecules, like second mitochondrial-activated factor/direct IAP-binding protein with low pI (Smac/Diablo), omi/high-temperature requirement serine protease A2 (Omi/HtrA2), X-linked mammalian inhibitor of apoptosis protein-associated factor 1, and apoptosis-inducing factor, have emerged as potent regulators of cellular apoptotic/antiapoptotic machinery. All instances of cell survival/death mechanisms triggered during I/R are multifaceted and interlinked, which ultimately decide the fate of brain cells. Moreover, apoptotic cross-talk between major subcellular organelles suggests that therapeutic strategies should be optimally directed at multiple targets/mechanisms for better therapeutic outcome. Based on the current knowledge, this review briefly focuses I/R injury-induced multiple mechanisms of apoptosis, involving key apoptotic regulators and their emerging roles in orchestrating cell death programme. In addition, we have also highlighted the role of autophagy in modulating cell survival/death during cerebral ischemia. Furthermore, an attempt has been made to provide an encouraging outlook on emerging therapeutic approaches for cerebral ischemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkata Prasuja Nakka
- Division of Pharmacology, Central Drug Research Institute, Chatter Manzil Palace, POB-173, Lucknow, 226001, India
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26
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Abstract
More than half of the initially-formed neurons are deleted in certain brain regions during normal development. This process, whereby cells are discretely removed without interfering with the further development of remaining cells, is called programmed cell death (PCD). The term apoptosis is used to describe certain morphological manifestations of PCD. Many of the effectors of this developmental cell death program are highly expressed in the developing brain, making it more susceptible to accidental activation of the death machinery, e.g. following hypoxia-ischemia or irradiation. Recent evidence suggests, however, that activation and regulation of cell death mechanisms under pathological conditions do not exactly mirror physiological, developmentally regulated PCD. It may be argued that the conditions after e.g. ischemia are not even compatible with the execution of PCD as we know it. Under pathological conditions cells are exposed to various stressors, including energy failure, oxidative stress and unbalanced ion fluxes. This results in parallel triggering and potential overshooting of several different cell death pathways, which then interact with one another and result in complex patterns of biochemical manifestations and cellular morphological features. These types of cell death are here called "pathological apoptosis," where classical hallmarks of PCD, like pyknosis, nuclear condensation and caspase-3 activation, are combined with non-PCD features of cell death. Here we review our current knowledge of the mechanisms involved, with special focus on the potential for therapeutic intervention tailored to the needs of the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klas Blomgren
- Center for Brain Repair and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Göteborg University, SE 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden.
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Cui N, Li S, Zhao X, Zhang T, Zhang C, Yu L, Zhu Z, Xie K. Expression of Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 in nerve tissues of rats chronically exposed to 2,5-hexanedione. Neurochem Res 2007; 32:1566-72. [PMID: 17492505 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-007-9359-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2007] [Accepted: 04/17/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Occupational exposure and experimental intoxication with n-hexane or its metabolite 2,5-hexanedione (HD) produce a central-peripheral neuropathy. However, the mechanism remains unknown. We hypothesized that HD affected the expression of Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 in the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Male adult Wistar rats were administered by intraperitoneal injection at a dosage of 200 or 400 mg/kg HD, five days per week for 8 weeks. Samples of the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, spinal cord and sciatic nerves were collected and examined for Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 expression using Western blotting. Subchronic exposure to HD resulted in significantly increased expression of both anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and pro-apoptotic protein Bax and Caspase-3 in cerebral cortex and cerebellum, which exhibited a dose-dependent pattern. Though little change was detected in spinal cord, our results showed that the expression of Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 was markedly enhanced in the sciatic nerves. These findings suggested that the changes of apoptosis-related protein level in rat nerve tissues were associated with the intoxication of HD, which might be involved in early molecular regulatory mechanism of apoptosis in the HD-induced neuropathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Cui
- Institute of Toxicology, Shandong University, 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
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Müller GJ, Lassmann H, Johansen FF. Anti-apoptotic signaling and failure of apoptosis in the ischemic rat hippocampus. Neurobiol Dis 2007; 25:582-93. [PMID: 17207631 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2006.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2006] [Revised: 10/03/2006] [Accepted: 11/03/2006] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Several anti-apoptotic proteins are induced in CA1 neurons after transient forebrain ischemia (TFI), but fail to protect the majority of these cells from demise. Correlating cell death morphologies (apoptosis-like and necrosis-like death) with immunohistochemistry (IHC), we investigated whether anti-apoptosis contributes to survival, compromises apoptosis effector functions and/or delays death in CA1 neurons 1-7 days after TFI. As surrogate markers for bioenergetic failure, the IHC of respiratory chain complex (RCC) subunits was investigated. Dentate granule cell (DGC) apoptosis following colchicine injection severed as a reference for classical apoptosis. Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP) and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) were upregulated in the majority of intact CA1 neurons paralleling the occurrence of CA1 neuronal death (days 3-7) as well as in a proportion of apoptosis-(<50%) and necrosis-like (<30%) CA1 neurons. Colchicine did not provoke an anti-apoptotic response in DGC at all. In addition, more than 70% of apoptosis- and necrosis-like CA1 neurons had completely lost their RCC subunits suggesting bioenergetic failure; by contrast, following colchicine injection, 88% of all apoptotic DGC presented RCC subunits. Thus, anti-apoptotic proteins may, in a subset of ischemic CA1 neurons, prevent cell death, while in others, affected by pronounced energy failure, they may cause secondary necrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Johannes Müller
- Molecular Neuropathology Group, University of Copenhagen, 11, Frederik V's vej, 2100-Copenhagen-O, Denmark
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Mehta SL, Manhas N, Raghubir R. Molecular targets in cerebral ischemia for developing novel therapeutics. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007; 54:34-66. [PMID: 17222914 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresrev.2006.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 532] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2006] [Revised: 11/09/2006] [Accepted: 11/10/2006] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Cerebral ischemia (stroke) triggers a complex series of biochemical and molecular mechanisms that impairs the neurologic functions through breakdown of cellular integrity mediated by excitotoxic glutamatergic signalling, ionic imbalance, free-radical reactions, etc. These intricate processes lead to activation of signalling mechanisms involving calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinases (CaMKs) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) such as extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). The distribution of these transducers bring them in contact with appropriate molecular targets leading to altered gene expression, e.g. ERK and JNK mediated early gene induction, responsible for activation of cell survival/damaging mechanisms. Moreover, inflammatory reactions initiated at the neurovascular interface and alterations in the dynamic communication between the endothelial cells, astrocytes and neurons are thought to substantially contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease. The damaging mechanisms may proceed through rapid nonspecific cell lysis (necrosis) or by active form of cell demise (apoptosis or necroptosis), depending upon the severity and duration of the ischemic insult. A systematic understanding of these molecular mechanisms with prospect of modulating the chain of events leading to cellular survival/damage may help to generate the potential strategies for neuroprotection. This review briefly covers the current status on the molecular mechanisms of stroke pathophysiology with an endeavour to identify potential molecular targets such as targeting postsynaptic density-95 (PSD-95)/N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor interaction, certain key proteins involved in oxidative stress, CaMKs and MAPKs (ERK, p38 and JNK) signalling, inflammation (cytokines, adhesion molecules, etc.) and cell death pathways (caspases, Bcl-2 family proteins, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1), apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), receptor interacting protein (RIP), etc., besides targeting directly the genes itself. However, selecting promising targets from various signalling cascades, for drug discovery and development is very challenging, nevertheless such novel approaches may lead to the emergence of new avenues for therapeutic intervention in cerebral ischemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suresh L Mehta
- Division of Pharmacology, Central Drug Research Institute, Chatter Manzil Palace, POB-173, Lucknow-226001, India
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30
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Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Humanin (HN) is a 24-amino acid peptide best known for its ability to protect neurons from damage caused by Alzheimer disease-related proteins. This study examines the neuroprotective effects of HNG (a potent form of HN) on focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice. METHODS Mice underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion for 75 minutes followed by 24-hour reperfusion. Mice were pretreated with 0.1 microg HNG (intracerebroventricularly) 30 minutes before ischemia; posttreated at 0, 2, 4, and 6 hours after ischemia; or pretreated with 1 microg HNG (intraperitoneally) 1 hour before ischemia. Neurological deficits and cerebral infarct volume were evaluated. Neuronal apoptosis and activated poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase expression were measured by TUNEL and Western blot analysis, respectively. Activated ERKs were examined by Western blot analysis. RESULTS Pretreatment with 0.1 microg HNG (intracerebroventricularly) 30 minutes before ischemia reduced cerebral infarct volume from 56.2+/-3.0% to 26.1+/-1.4% (P<0.01). HNG posttreatment after 4 hours of reperfusion reduced cerebral infarct volume to 45.6+/-2.6% (P<0.05). Pretreatment with 1 microg HNG (intraperitoneally) 1 hour before ischemia or posttreatment after 2 hours of reperfusion reduced cerebral infarct volume significantly. HNG also significantly improved neurological function and inhibited both neuronal apoptosis as well as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activation. A significant decrease of phospho-ERK was observed in mice treated with HNG, whereas phospho-JNK and phospho-p38 levels were not altered. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that HNG protects against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice. HNG offers neuroprotection in vivo at least in part by inhibiting ERK activation. These findings suggest a potential therapeutic role for HNG in the treatment of stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingshun Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, James H. Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA
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Guo WP, Wang J, Li RX, Peng YW. Neuroprotective effects of neuregulin-1 in rat models of focal cerebral ischemia. Brain Res 2006; 1087:180-5. [PMID: 16616052 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2006.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2005] [Revised: 02/27/2006] [Accepted: 03/01/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of recombinant human NRG-1 to attenuate ischemia/reperfusion brain injury. NRG-1(3.0 ng/kg) was applied intravascularly 10 min before middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and then focal cerebral ischemia for 90 min and reperfusion for 24 h. The rats were scored post-reperfusion for neurological deficits and infarct volume in the brain was assessed by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride(TTC). Apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL staining. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to measure changes of caspase-3 mRNA. The level of TNF-alpha was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our results demonstrated that recombinant human NRG-1 could reduce cerebral infarct volume by about 71% (P < 0.05) and TUNEL positive cells when given immediately before MCAO, and improved behavior of animals. Furthermore, we also showed that NRG-1 could also decrease the expression of caspase-3 mRNA and production of TNF-alpha protein. These data suggest that pre-administration of NRG-1 attenuates cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury. This protective effect may be involved in the inhibition of caspase-3 and TNF-alpha.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Ping Guo
- Department of Anatomy, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 138 YiXue Yuan Road, Shanghai 200032, PR China.
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von Mering M, Wellmer A, Michel U, Bunkowski S, Tłustochowska A, Brück W, Kuhnt U, Nau R. Transcriptional regulation of caspases in experimental pneumococcal meningitis. Brain Pathol 2006; 11:282-95. [PMID: 11414471 PMCID: PMC8098411 DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3639.2001.tb00399.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Apoptosis and necrosis in brain account for neurological sequelae in survivors of bacterial meningitis. In meningitis, several mechanisms may trigger death pathways leading to activation of transcription factors regulating caspases mRNA synthesis. Therefore, we used a multiprobe RNA protection assay (RPA) to examine the expression of 9 caspase-mRNA in the course of experimental Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis in mouse brain. Caspase-6, -7 and -11 mRNA were elevated 6 hours after infection. 12 hours after infection caspases-1, -2, -8 and -12 mRNA rose. Caspase-14 mRNA was elevated 18 h and caspase-3 mRNA 24 h after infection. In situ hybridization detected caspases-3, -8, -11 and -12 mRNA in neurons of the hippocampal formation and neocortex. Development of sepsis was paralleled by increased transcription of caspases mRNA in the spleen. In TNFalpha-deficient mice all caspases examined were less upregulated, in TNF-receptor 1/2 knockout mice caspases-1, -2, -7, -11 and -14 mRNA were increased compared to infected control animals. In caspase-1 deficient mice, caspases-11, and -12 mRNA levels did not rise in meningitis indicating the necessity of caspase-1 activating these caspases. Hippocampal formations of newborn mice incubated with heat-inactivated S. pneumoniae R6 showed upregulation of caspase-1, -3, -11 and -12 mRNA. These observations suggest a tightly regulated caspases network at the transcriptional level in addition to the known cascade at the protein level.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Annexin A5/analysis
- Apoptosis
- Brain/enzymology
- Caspases/biosynthesis
- Caspases/genetics
- Cells, Cultured
- Enzyme Induction
- Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
- Hippocampus/cytology
- Hippocampus/enzymology
- In Situ Hybridization
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Necrosis
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/analysis
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/biosynthesis
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics
- Pneumonia, Pneumococcal/enzymology
- Pneumonia, Pneumococcal/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor/deficiency
- Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor/genetics
- Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor/physiology
- Transcription, Genetic
- Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/deficiency
- Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics
- Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/physiology
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andreas Wellmer
- Dept. of Neurology, University Hosp., 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Uwe Michel
- Dept. of Neurology, University Hosp., 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | | | - Anna Tłustochowska
- Max‐Planck‐Institut for Biophysical Chemistry, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | | | - Ulrich Kuhnt
- Max‐Planck‐Institut for Biophysical Chemistry, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Roland Nau
- Dept. of Neurology, University Hosp., 37075 Goettingen, Germany
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Giuliani D, Leone S, Mioni C, Bazzani C, Zaffe D, Botticelli AR, Altavilla D, Galantucci M, Minutoli L, Bitto A, Squadrito F, Guarini S. Broad therapeutic treatment window of [Nle(4), D-Phe(7)]alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone for long-lasting protection against ischemic stroke, in Mongolian gerbils. Eur J Pharmacol 2006; 538:48-56. [PMID: 16647700 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2006.03.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2005] [Revised: 03/01/2006] [Accepted: 03/15/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Melanocortin peptides have been shown to produce neuroprotection in experimental ischemic stroke. The aim of the present investigation was to identify the therapeutic treatment window of melanocortins, and to determine whether these neuropeptides chronically protect against damage consequent to brain ischemia. A 10-min period of global cerebral ischemia in gerbils, induced by occluding both common carotid arteries, caused impairment in spatial learning and memory (Morris test: four sessions from 4 to 67 days after the ischemic episode), associated with neuronal death in the hippocampus. Treatment with a nanomolar dose (340 microg/kg i.p., every 12 h for 11 days) of the melanocortin analog [Nle(4), D-Phe(7)]alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (NDP-alpha-MSH), starting 3-18 h after the ischemic episode, reduced hippocampal damage with improvement in subsequent functional recovery. The protective effect was long-lasting (67 days, at least) with all schedules of NDP-alpha-MSH treatment; however, in the latest treated (18 h) gerbils, some spatial memory deficits were detected. Pharmacological blockade of melanocortin MC(4) receptors prevented the protective effects of NDP-alpha-MSH. Our findings indicate that, in conditions of brain ischemia, melanocortins can provide strong and long-lasting protection with a broad therapeutic treatment window, and with involvement of melanocortin MC(4) receptors, 18 h being the approximately time-limit for stroke late treatment to be effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Giuliani
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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Sabbagh L, Bourbonnière M, Denis F, Sékaly RP. Cloning and Functional Characterization of the Murine Caspase-3 Gene Promoter. DNA Cell Biol 2006; 25:104-15. [PMID: 16460234 DOI: 10.1089/dna.2006.25.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies have shown that the levels of caspase-3 are upregulated under different conditions of apoptosis. Previously, we have shown that activation of T cells through the TCR leads to the upregulation of caspase-3 levels. These findings highlight the importance of regulating the expression of caspase-3 in order to prevent premature cell death. To better understand the regulation of the caspase-3 gene, a portion of the 5'- untranslated region was cloned, sequenced, and characterized. The segment of the 5'-flanking region of the caspase-3 gene was also cloned upstream of a luciferase reporter gene, demonstrating that this fragment contains promoter activity. Higher luciferase expression was found with several of the promoter deletion constructs in Jurkat T cells but not the mouse Neuro-2A neuroblastoma cell line, suggesting the presence of a T-cell-specific regulated region. The importance of these sequences is further supported by the genomic organization of the human and mouse caspase-3 promoter regions. These findings demonstrated that the -2245/+14 region of the caspase-3 promoter shows constitutive levels of expression, and that several regions of the promoter play a role in basal regulation. Finally, some of the conserved transcription factor binding sites identified between the human and mouse promoters appear to play an important role in lymphoid cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Sabbagh
- Laboratoire d'Immunologie, Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Campus St.-Luc, Pavillon Edouard-Asselin, 264 Boulevard René Lévesque Est, #1370D, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada
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Morales P, Reyes P, Klawitter V, Huaiquín P, Bustamante D, Fiedler J, Herrera-Marschitz M. Effects of perinatal asphyxia on cell proliferation and neuronal phenotype evaluated with organotypic hippocampal cultures. Neuroscience 2006; 135:421-31. [PMID: 16112481 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2005.05.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2005] [Revised: 05/24/2005] [Accepted: 05/30/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The present report summarizes studies combining an in vivo and in vitro approach, where asphyxia is induced in vivo at delivery time of Wistar rats, and the long term effects on hippocampus neurocircuitry are investigated in vitro with organotypic cultures plated at postnatal day seven. The cultures preserved hippocampus layering and regional subdivisions shown in vivo, and only few dying cells were observed when assayed with a viability test at day in vitro 27. When properly fixed, cultures from asphyxia-exposed animals showed a decreased amount of microtubule-associated protein-2 immunocytochemically positive cells (approximately 30%), as compared with that from controls. The decrease in microtubule-associated protein-2 immunocytochemistry was particularly prominent in Ammon's horn 1 and dentate gyrus regions (approximately 40%). 5-Bromo-2'deoxyuridine labeling revealed a two-fold increase in cellular proliferation in cultures from asphyxia-exposed, compared with that from control animals. Furthermore, confocal microscopy and quantification using the optical disector technique demonstrated that in cultures from asphyxia-exposed animals approximately 30% of 5-bromo-2'deoxyuridine-positive cells were also positive to microtubule-associated protein-2, a marker for neuronal phenotype. That proportion was approximately 20% in cultures from control animals. Glial fibrillary acidic protein-immunocytochemistry and Fast Red nuclear staining revealed that the core of the hippocampus culture was surrounded by a well-developed network of glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive cells and glial fibrillary acidic protein-processes providing an apparent protective shield around the hippocampus. That shield was less developed in cultures from asphyxia-exposed animals. The increased mitotic activity observed in this study suggests a compensatory mechanism for the long-term impairment induced by perinatal asphyxia, although it is not clear yet if that mechanism leads to neurogenesis, astrogliogenesis, or to further apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Morales
- Programme of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, ICBM, Medical Faculty, University of Chile, P.O. Box 70.000 Santiago 7, Chile
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36
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Santamaría A, Vázquez-Román B, La Cruz VPD, González-Cortés C, Trejo-Solís MC, Galván-Arzate S, Jara-Prado A, Guevara-Fonseca J, Ali SF. Selenium reduces the proapoptotic signaling associated to NF-kappaB pathway and stimulates glutathione peroxidase activity during excitotoxic damage produced by quinolinate in rat corpus striatum. Synapse 2006; 58:258-66. [PMID: 16206188 DOI: 10.1002/syn.20206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Quinolinate (QUIN) neurotoxicity has been attributed to degenerative events in nerve tissue produced by sustained activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAr) and oxidative stress. We have recently described the protective effects that selenium (Se), an antioxidant, produces on different markers of QUIN-induced neurotoxicity (Santamaría et al., 2003, J Neurochem 86:479-488.). However, the mechanisms by which Se exerts its protective actions remain unclear. Since some of these events are thought to be related with inhibition of deadly molecular cascades through the activation of antioxidant selenoproteins, in this study we investigated the effects of Se on QUIN-induced cell damage elicited by the nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) pathway, as well as the time-course response of striatal glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity. Se (sodium selenite, 0.625 mg/kg/day, i.p.) was administered to rats for 5 days, and 120 min after the last administration, animals received a single striatal injection of QUIN (240 nmol/mul). Twenty-four hours later, their striata were tested for the expression of IkappaB-alpha (the NF-kappaB cytosolic binding protein), the immunohistochemical expression of NF-kappaB (evidenced as nuclear expression of P65), caspase-3-like activation, and DNA fragmentation. Additional groups were killed at 2, 6, and 24 h for measurement of GPx activity. Se reduced the QUIN-induced decrease in IkappaB-alpha expression, evidencing a reduction in its cytosolic degradation. Se also prevented the QUIN-induced increase in P65-immunoreactive cells, suggesting a reduction of NF-kappaB nuclear translocation. Caspase-3-like activation and DNA fragmentation produced by QUIN were also inhibited by Se. Striatal GPx activity was stimulated by Se at 2 and 6 h, but not at 24 h postlesion. Altogether, these data suggest that the protective effects exerted by Se on QUIN-induced neurotoxicity are partially mediated by the inhibition of proapoptotic events underlying IkappaB-alpha degradation, NF-kappaB nuclear translocation, and caspase-3-like activation in the rat striatum, probably involving the early activation of GPx.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abel Santamaría
- Laboratorio de Aminoácidos Excitadores, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía Manuel Velasco Suárez, SSA. México DF
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37
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Van Hemelrijck A, Hachimi-Idrissi S, Sarre S, Ebinger G, Michotte Y. Post-ischaemic mild hypothermia inhibits apoptosis in the penumbral region by reducing neuronal nitric oxide synthase activity and thereby preventing endothelin-1-induced hydroxyl radical formation. Eur J Neurosci 2006; 22:1327-37. [PMID: 16190888 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2005.04331.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Previously, we showed that treatment with resuscitative, post-ischaemic mild hypothermia (34 degrees C for 2 h) reduced apoptosis in the penumbra (cortex), but not in the core (striatum) of an endothelin-1 (Et-1)-induced focal cerebral infarct in the anaesthetized rat. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate by which pathways resuscitative mild hypothermia exerts its neuroprotective effect in this model. The amino acids glutamate, serine, glutamine, alanine, taurine, arginine and the NO-related compound citrulline were sampled from the striatum and cortex of the ischaemic hemisphere using in vivo microdialysis. The in vivo salicylate trapping method was applied for monitoring hydroxyl radical formation via 2,3 dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,3 DHBA) detection. Caspase-3, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) immunoreactivity and the volume of ischaemic damage were determined 24 h after the insult. In both the striatum and the cortex, Et-1-induced increases in glutamate, taurine and alanine were refractory to mild hypothermia. However, mild hypothermia significantly attenuated the ischaemia-induced 2,3 DHBA levels and the nNOS immunoreactivity in the cortex, but not in the striatum. These observations were associated with a decreased caspase-3 immunoreactivity. These results suggest that mild hypothermia exerts its neuroprotective effect in the penumbra partially by reducing nNOS activity and thereby preventing oxidative stress. Furthermore, we confirm our previous findings that the neuroprotective effect of resuscitative hypothermia is not mediated by changes in ischaemia-induced amino acid release as they could not be associated with the ischaemia-induced damage in the Et-1 rat model.
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Affiliation(s)
- An Van Hemelrijck
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Analysis, Research Group Experimental Pharmacology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
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38
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Xu XH, Zhang SM, Yan WM, Li XR, Zhang HY, Zheng XX. Development of cerebral infarction, apoptotic cell death and expression of X-chromosome-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein following focal cerebral ischemia in rats. Life Sci 2006; 78:704-12. [PMID: 16139848 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2005.05.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2004] [Accepted: 05/10/2005] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the role of apoptosis or necrosis in the development of delayed infarct, and the relationship between the level of XIAP gene, caspase-3 activation and ischemic cell death following transient focal cerebral ischemia. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent right middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) for 50 min and reperfusion for 0.5, 4, 8, 24 h, 3, 7, 14 days. On TTC-stained coronal sections, delayed infarct was observed to develop in the whole MCA territory, especially in frontoparietal cortex after ischemia. Near total infarct was shown in striatum 24 h after MCAo, while delayed infarct was evident in the cortex. By day 3, the infarct had progressively expanded to the nearly whole area of the frontoparietal cortex. Flow cytometric analysis of Annexin-V (marks apoptosis) and PI (propidium iodide, marks necrosis) labeling cells showed that MCAo dominantly induced necrosis in ischemic core, striatum. Apoptosis contributed to delayed infarct and cell death in the border zone, dorsolateral cortex and hippocampus. The time-course of caspase-3 activation was consistent with the changes of apoptosis and infarct following MCAo. Further RT-PCR experiments indicated that there was a biphasic regulation of XIAP in time- and region-dependent manner after ischemia. In the infarct core (striatum), following a transient and slight increase during 0.5 h to 4 h post-MCAo, expression of XIAP mRNA markedly decreased. On the other hand, a longer and larger upregulation of XIAP was observed at early time points in border zone (0.5 to 8 h, in dorsolateral cortex; 0.5 to 24 h in hippocampus), then the level of XIAP reduced. A negative correlation was observed between apoptosis and regulation of XIAP gene in these regions. Our findings suggest a possible association between expression of XIAP gene, apoptosis and delayed infarct following ischemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Hong Xu
- Chemistry and Life Science College, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, P.R. China.
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Bingham B, Liu D, Wood A, Cho S. Ischemia-stimulated neurogenesis is regulated by proliferation, migration, differentiation and caspase activation of hippocampal precursor cells. Brain Res 2005; 1058:167-77. [PMID: 16140288 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2005.07.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2005] [Revised: 07/29/2005] [Accepted: 07/29/2005] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
A brief ischemic injury to the gerbil forebrain that caused selective damage in the CA1 region of the hippocampus also enhanced the production of new cells in the hippocampal neurogenic area. When evaluated 1 week after bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) injection, approximately ten times more labeled cells were detected in the hippocampal dentate gyrus in ischemic animals than controls, indicating a stimulation of mitotic activity. To assess the temporal course of the survival and fate of these newborn cells, we monitored BrdU labeling and cell marker expression up to 60 days after ischemia (DAI). Loss of BrdU-positive cells was observed from both control and ischemic animals, but at 30 DAI and afterward, the ischemic group maintained more than 3 times as many BrdU-positive cells as the control group. In addition, ischemic injury also fostered the neuronal differentiation of these cells beyond the capacity observed in control animals and facilitated the migration of developing neurons to a neuronal cellular layer. The establishment of a temporal correlation between differentiation and migration provides evidence of the functional maturation of these cells. Surprisingly, we found that ischemic injury induced activation of caspase-3, not only in the CA1 region as expected, but also in the dentate subgranular zone (SGZ). Active caspase-3 immunoreactivity in the subgranular layer was co-localized with an early neuronal marker, suggesting that caspase-mediated apoptosis could mediate the loss of neurogenic cells in the SGZ. Inhibiting caspase-3 in the context of ischemia-induced neurogenesis might provide an opportunity for functional repair and a therapeutic outcome in the wake of ischemic injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan Bingham
- Neuroscience Discovery Research, Wyeth Research, Princeton, NJ 08543-8000, USA
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40
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Abstract
It has long been recognized that much of the post-traumatic degeneration of the spinal cord following injury is caused by a multi-factorial secondary injury process that occurs during the first minutes, hours, and days after spinal cord injury (SCI). A key biochemical event in that process is reactive oxygen-induced lipid peroxidation (LP). In 1990 the results of the Second National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study (NASCIS II) were published, which showed that the administration of a high-dose regimen of the glucocorticoid steroid methylprednisolone (MP), which had been previously shown to inhibit post-traumatic LP in animal models of SCI, could improve neurological recovery in spinal-cord-injured humans. This resulted in the registration of high-dose MP for acute SCI in several countries, although not in the U.S. Nevertheless, this treatment quickly became the standard of care for acute SCI since the drug was already on the U.S. market for many other indications. Subsequently, it was demonstrated that the non-glucocorticoid 21-aminosteroid tirilazad could duplicate the antioxidant neuroprotective efficacy of MP in SCI models, and evidence of human efficacy was obtained in a third NASCIS trial (NASCIS III). In recent years, the use of high-dose MP in acute SCI has become controversial largely on the basis of the risk of serious adverse effects versus what is perceived to be on average a modest neurological benefit. The opiate receptor antagonist naloxone was also tested in NASCIS II based upon the demonstration of its beneficial effects in SCI models. Although it did not a significant overall effect, some evidence of efficacy was seen in incomplete (i.e., paretic) patients. The monosialoganglioside GM1 has also been examined in a recently completed clinical trial in which the patients first received high-dose MP treatment. However, GM1 failed to show any evidence of a significant enhancement in the extent of neurological recovery over the level afforded by MP therapy alone. The present paper reviews the past development of MP, naloxone, tirilazad, and GM1 for acute SCI, the ongoing MP-SCI controversy, identifies the regulatory complications involved in future SCI drug development, and suggests some promising neuroprotective approaches that could either replace or be used in combination with high-dose MP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward D Hall
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA.
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41
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Sabbagh L, Bourbonnière M, Sékaly RP, Cohen LY. Selective up-regulation of caspase-3 gene expression following TCR engagement. Mol Immunol 2005; 42:1345-54. [PMID: 15950730 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2004.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2004] [Accepted: 12/19/2004] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Activation-induced cell death (AICD) in T lymphocytes depends on the expression of Fas-ligand, which triggers the apoptotic process after binding to its receptor Fas. This leads to the activation of cysteine proteases of the caspase family and especially of caspase-3, a critical effector protein during AICD. We have previously observed the up-regulation of caspase-3 expression in effector but not memory T cells stimulated in vivo. In this study, we further characterized the regulation of caspase expression following T cell receptor (TCR) signaling and demonstrate that a three-fold increase in caspase-3 mRNA levels was observed by semi-quantitative and real-time RT-PCR analysis. Caspase-3 expression was selectively increased among five different caspases following TCR stimulation, as assessed by RNase protection assay. Real-time RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that a three-fold up-regulation in caspase-3 mRNA levels was observed following TCR triggering, whereas caspase-8 mRNA levels remained unchanged. The increase in caspase-3 mRNA levels occurred before cleavage and activation of caspase-3 and in the absence of apoptosis. TCR-mediated induction in caspase-3 expression was not dependent on STAT1 activation, since following stimulation of KOX-14 cells the transcription factor was not phosphorylated. Together, these results show that TCR activation triggers the selective increase in caspase-3 mRNA levels, independently of caspase activity and the induction of apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Sabbagh
- Laboratoire d'Immunologie, Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Campus St. Luc, Pavillon Edouard-Asselin, 264 Boul. Rene Levesque Est #1307D, Montreal, Que., Canada H2X 1P1
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42
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Fukuda A, Fukuda H, Swanpalmer J, Hertzman S, Lannering B, Marky I, Björk-Eriksson T, Blomgren K. Age-dependent sensitivity of the developing brain to irradiation is correlated with the number and vulnerability of progenitor cells. J Neurochem 2005; 92:569-84. [PMID: 15659227 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2004.02894.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In a newly established model of unilateral, irradiation (IR)-induced injury we compared the outcome after IR to the immature and juvenile brain, using rats at postnatal days 9 or 23, respectively. We demonstrate that (i) the immature brains contained more progenitors in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and subgranular zone (SGZ) compared with the juvenile brains; (ii) cellular injury, as judged by activation of caspase 3 and p53, as well as nitrotyrosine formation, was more pronounced in the SVZ and SGZ in the immature brains 6 h after IR; (iii) the number of progenitor and immature cells in the SVZ and SGZ decreased 6 h and 7 days post-IR, corresponding to acute and subacute effects in humans, respectively, these effects were more pronounced in immature brains; (iv) myelination was impaired after IR at both ages, and much more pronounced after IR to immature brains; (v) the IR-induced changes remained significant for at least 10 weeks, corresponding to late effects in humans, and were most pronounced after IR to immature brains. It appears that IR induces both an acute loss of progenitors through apoptosis and a perturbed microenvironment incompatible with normal proliferation and differentiation, and that this is more pronounced in the immature brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya Fukuda
- Arvid Carlsson Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Sahlgrenska Academy, Göteborg University, SE-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden
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Müller GJ, Stadelmann C, Bastholm L, Elling F, Lassmann H, Johansen FF. Ischemia leads to apoptosis--and necrosis-like neuron death in the ischemic rat hippocampus. Brain Pathol 2005; 14:415-24. [PMID: 15605989 PMCID: PMC8095808 DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3639.2004.tb00085.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Morphological evidence of apoptosis in transient forebrain ischemia is controversial. We therefore investigated the time sequence of apoptosis-related antigens by immunohistochemistry and correlated it with emerging nuclear patterns of cell death in a model of transient forebrain ischemia in CA1 pyramidal cells of the rat hippocampus. The earliest ischemic changes were found on day 2 and 3, reflected by an upregulation of phospho-c-Jun in a proportion of morphologically intact CA1 neurons, which matched the number of neurons that succumbed to ischemia at later time points. At day 3 and later 3 ischemic cell death morphologies became apparent: pyknosis, apoptosis-like cell death and necrosis-like cell death, which were confirmed by electron microscopy. Activated caspase-3 was present in the vast majority of cells with apoptosis-like morphology as well as in a small subset of cells undergoing necrosis; its expression peaked on days 3 to 4. Silver staining for nucleoli, which are a substrate for caspase-3, revealed a profound loss of nucleoli in cells with apoptosis-like morphology, whereas cells with necrosis-like morphology showed intact nucleoli. Overall, cells with apoptosis-like morphology and/or caspase-3 expression represented a minor fraction (<10%) of ischemic neurons, while the vast majority followed a necrosis-like pathway. Our studies suggest that CA1 pyramidal cell death following transient forebrain ischemia may be initiated through c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway activation, which then either follows an apoptosis-like cell death pathway or leads to secondary necrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lone Bastholm
- Institute of Molecular Pathology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Folmer Elling
- Institute of Molecular Pathology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hans Lassmann
- Brain Research Institute, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
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44
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Wang X, Zhu C, Wang X, Hagberg H, Korhonen L, Sandberg M, Lindholm D, Blomgren K. X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) protein protects against caspase activation and tissue loss after neonatal hypoxia–ischemia. Neurobiol Dis 2004; 16:179-89. [PMID: 15207275 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2004.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2003] [Revised: 01/19/2004] [Accepted: 01/26/2004] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Nine-day-old transgenic XIAP overexpressing (TG-XIAP) and wild-type mice were subjected to left carotid artery ligation and 10% O(2) for 60 min, leading to widespread infarctions in the ipsilateral hemisphere during reperfusion. The activation of caspase-3 and -9 seen in wild-type animals was virtually abolished in TG-XIAP mice. Tissue loss was significantly reduced from 54.4 +/- 4.1 mm(3) (mean +/- SEM) in wild-type mice to 33.1 +/- 2.1 mm(3) in the TG-XIAP mice. Injured neurons displayed stronger XIAP staining during reperfusion, particularly in the nuclei. XIAP was colocalized with XAF-1, Smac, and HtrA2 in injured neurons after hypoxia-ischemia (HI). XIAP was cleaved after HI, and Smac immunoprecipitation co-precipitated a 25-kDa C-terminal fragment of XIAP, indicating that Smac preferentially bound to cleaved XIAP. These findings provide the first evidence that increased XIAP levels protect the neonatal brain against HI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyang Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, Neurobiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SE 751 23, Sweden
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45
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Kerr LE, McGregor AL, Amet LEA, Asada T, Spratt C, Allsopp TE, Harmar AJ, Shen S, Carlson G, Logan N, Kelly JS, Sharkey J. Mice overexpressing human caspase 3 appear phenotypically normal but exhibit increased apoptosis and larger lesion volumes in response to transient focal cerebral ischaemia. Cell Death Differ 2004; 11:1102-11. [PMID: 15153940 DOI: 10.1038/sj.cdd.4401449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Caspase 3 activation has been implicated in cell death following a number of neurodegenerative insults. To determine whether caspase genes can affect the susceptibility of cells to neurodegeneration, a transgenic mouse line was created, expressing human caspase 3 under control of its own promoter. The human gene was regulated by the murine homeostatic machinery and human procaspase 3 was expressed in the same tissues as mouse caspase 3. These novel transgenic mice appeared phenotypically and developmentally normal and survived in excess of 2 years. Behavioural assessment using the 5-choice serial reaction time task found no differences from wild-type littermates. Caspase activity was found to be tightly regulated under physiological conditions, however, significantly larger lesions were obtained when transgenic mice were subjected to focal cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion injury compared to wild-type littermates. These data demonstrate that mice overexpressing human caspase 3 are essentially normal, however, they have increased susceptibility to degenerative insults.
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Affiliation(s)
- L E Kerr
- Fujisawa Institute of Neuroscience in Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK.
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46
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Dohi K, Ohtaki H, Inn R, Ikeda Y, Shioda HS, Aruga T. Peroxynitrite and caspase-3 expression after ischemia/reperfusion in mouse cardiac arrest model. ACTA NEUROCHIRURGICA. SUPPLEMENT 2004; 86:87-91. [PMID: 14753412 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-7091-0651-8_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
NO is a putative neurotransmitter and neuromodulator in the brain. NO is not functioning as a direct neurotoxin. NO with the superoxide radical product peroxynitrite (ONOO-) is much more cytotoxic under tissue impairment conditions. Caspase-3, a potent effector of apoptosis that is triggered via several different signaling pathways, may play a very important role in neuronal cell death caused by various brain injuries. The relationship between mouse caspase-3 and peroxynitrite remains unclear. In the present study, we examined the in vivo expression of 3-nitrotyrosine (a metabolite of peroxinitrite) and caspase-3 after cerebral ischemia produced in a global ischemia model using mice (i.e., a cardiac arrest model). 3-nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity was detected in neuronal cells in the hippocampal dentate nucleus, and cortical regions starting at 12 hrs after ischemia. In particular, numerous neuronal cells were highly immunoreactive for 3-nitrotyrosine in the cortical regions. In hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons, 3-nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity was detected from 24 hrs. Caspase-3 immunopositive cells were observed in approximately the same area in which the positive reaction to the anti-nitrotyrosine antibody was observed. These results provide direct evidence for the induction of 3-nitrotyrosine and caspase-3 expression in vivo in an ischemia model using mice. The present findings suggest that peroxynitrite generated by cerebral ischemia/ reperfusion was strongly cytotoxic and induced neuronal cell death (apoptosis) mediated by caspase-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Dohi
- Department of Critical Care and Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
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47
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Ellis RC, Earnhardt JN, Hayes RL, Wang KKW, Anderson DK. Cathepsin B mRNA and protein expression following contusion spinal cord injury in rats. J Neurochem 2004; 88:689-97. [PMID: 14720218 DOI: 10.1046/j.1471-4159.2003.02197.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
We provide the first data that cathepsin B (Cath B), a lysosomal cysteine protease, is up-regulated following contusion-spinal cord injury (SCI). Following T12 laminectomy and moderate contusion, Cath B mRNA and protein expression profiles were examined from 2 to 168 h post-injury in rats using real-time PCR and immunoblots, respectively. Contusion injury significantly increased [mRNA]Cath B in the injury site and adjacent segments over sham injury levels. While the largest [mRNA]Cath B induction (20-fold over naive) was seen in the injury site, the caudal segment routinely yielded [mRNA]Cath B levels greater than 10-fold over naive. Interestingly, sham injury animals also experienced mRNA induction at several time points at the injury site and in segments rostral and caudal to the injury site. Contusion injury also significantly elevated levels of Cath B proenzyme protein (37 kDa) over sham injury in the injury site (48, 72 and 168 h post-injury). Furthermore, significant protein increases of single and double chain Cath B (both active forms) occurred at the injury site at 72 and 168 h post-injury. Similar significant increases in Cath B protein levels were seen in areas adjacent to the injury site. The induction of Cath B mRNA and protein expression following contusion injury is previously undescribed and suggests that Cath B may potentially be involved in the secondary injury cascade, perhaps for as long as 1 week post-injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca C Ellis
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610, USA
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48
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Zhu C, Wang X, Cheng X, Qiu L, Xu F, Simbruner G, Blomgren K. Post-ischemic hypothermia-induced tissue protection and diminished apoptosis after neonatal cerebral hypoxia–ischemia. Brain Res 2004; 996:67-75. [PMID: 14670632 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2003.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Hypothermia is possibly the single most effective method of neuroprotection developed to date. However, the mechanisms are not completely understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of post-ischemic hypothermia on brain injury and apoptotic neuronal cell death as well as related biochemical changes after neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI). Seven-day-old rats were subjected to left common carotid artery ligation and hypoxia (7.8%) for 1 h. Systemic hypothermia was induced immediately after hypoxia-ischemia, and body temperature was maintained at 30 degrees C for 10 h. The normothermic group was kept at 36 degrees C. Brain infarct volumes and neuronal loss in the CA1 area of the hippocampus were significantly reduced at 72 h post-HI in the hypothermia group. Cytochrome c release and activation of caspase-3 and -2 at 24 h post-HI were significantly diminished by hypothermia. The numbers of cytochrome c- and TUNEL-positive cells in the cortex and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus were significantly reduced in the hypothermia group compared with the normothermia group at 72 h post-HI. These results indicate that hypothermia may, at least partially, act through inhibition of the intrinsic pathway of caspase activation in the neonatal brain, thereby preventing apoptotic cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changlian Zhu
- Department of Pediatrics, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, PR China.
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49
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Ferrer I, Friguls B, Dalfó E, Justicia C, Planas AM. Caspase-dependent and caspase-independent signalling of apoptosis in the penumbra following middle cerebral artery occlusion in the adult rat. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2003; 29:472-81. [PMID: 14507339 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2990.2003.00485.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Transient focal ischaemia by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) may produce cell death, but the mechanisms leading to cell death differ in the infarct core and in the penumbra, the immediate zone surrounding the infarct core. In the present study, transient focal ischaemia to adult rats was produced by intraluminal occlusion of the middle cerebral artery for 1 h followed by 0 h (n=6), 1 h (n=10), 4 h (n=8), 6 h (n=2) and 12 h (n=3) of reperfusion. The present model of ischaemia causes a large cortico-striatal infarct extending through the mediolateral cortex and dorsolateral striatum at 12 h. The expression and subcellular distribution of several proteins involved in apoptosis have been examined in the penumbra and in the infarct core by using combined methods of immunohistochemistry, cell subfractionation and Western blotting. Transient focal ischaemia by MCAO results in activation of complex signal pathways for cell death in the penumbra. Increased expression of Bcl-2 and Bax, but not of Bcl-x, occurs in the penumbra at the time when Bax translocates from the cytosol to the mitochondria, cytochrome c is released to the cytoplasm and active caspase-3 is expressed. Bax translocation, cytochrome c release and active caspase-3 are observed at 4 h, but not at 1 h, following reperfusion, and together indicate activation of the caspase-dependent pathway of apoptosis in the penumbra. In contrast, reduced Bax expression but not Bax translocation and cytochrome c release occurs in the infarct core, thus suggesting apoptosis signals restricted to the penumbra. In addition, increased expression of an apoptosis-inducing factor in the cytoplasm and nuclei of selected cells shows, for the first time, activation of the caspase-independent mitochondrial pathway in the penumbra following transient focal ischaemia and reperfusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Ferrer
- Institut de Neuropatologia, Servei d'Anatomia Patològica, Hospital Bellvitge Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
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Emgård M, Hallin U, Karlsson J, Bahr BA, Brundin P, Blomgren K. Both apoptosis and necrosis occur early after intracerebral grafting of ventral mesencephalic tissue: a role for protease activation. J Neurochem 2003; 86:1223-32. [PMID: 12911630 DOI: 10.1046/j.1471-4159.2003.01931.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Neural transplantation is an experimental treatment for Parkinson's disease. Widespread clinical application of the grafting technique is hampered by a relatively poor survival (around 10%) of implanted embryonic dopamine neurones. Earlier animal studies have indicated that a large proportion of the grafted cells die during graft tissue preparation and within the first few days after intracerebral implantation. The present study was designed to reveal the prevalence of cell death in rat intrastriatal grafts at 90 min, 1, 3, 6 and 42 days after implantation. We examined apoptotic cell death using semi-thin and paraffin sections stained with methylene blue and an antibody against activated caspase 3, respectively. We identified abundant apoptotic cell death up to 3 days after transplantation. In addition, we studied calpain activation using an antibody specific for calpain-cleaved fodrin. We report a peak in calpain activity 90 min after grafting. Surprisingly, we did not observe any significant difference in the number of dopaminergic neurones over time. The present results imply that grafted cells may be victims of either an early necrotic or a later apoptotic cell death and that there is substantial cell death as early as 90 min after implantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Emgård
- Section for Neuronal Survival, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, Sweden.
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