Inhaling xenon ameliorates l-dopa-induced dyskinesia in experimental parkinsonism

Parkinson's disease motor symptoms are treated with levodopa, but long-term treatment leads to disabling dyskinesia. Altered synaptic transmission and maladaptive plasticity of corticostriatal glutamatergic projections play a critical role in the pathophysiology of dyskinesia. Because the noble gas xenon inhibits excitatory glutamatergic signaling, primarily through allosteric antagonism of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors, we aimed to test its putative antidyskinetic capabilities. We first studied the direct effect of xenon gas exposure on corticostriatal plasticity in a murine model of levodopa-induced dyskinesia We then studied the impact of xenon inhalation on behavioral dyskinetic manifestations in the gold-standard rat and primate models of PD and levodopa-induced dyskinesia. Last, we studied the effect of xenon inhalation on axial gait and posture deficits in a primate model of PD with levodopa-induced dyskinesia. This study shows that xenon gas exposure (1) normalized synaptic transmission and reversed maladaptive plasticity of corticostriatal glutamatergic projections associated with levodopa-induced dyskinesia, (2) ameliorated dyskinesia in rat and nonhuman primate models of PD and dyskinesia, and (3) improved gait performance in a nonhuman primate model of PD. These results pave the way for clinical testing of this unconventional but safe approach. © 2018 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

The noble gas xenon provides protection and trophic stimulation to midbrain dopamine neurons

Despite its low chemical reactivity, the noble gas xenon possesses a remarkable spectrum of biological effects. In particular, xenon is a strong neuroprotectant in preclinical models of hypoxic‐ischemic brain injury. In this study, we wished to determine whether xenon retained its neuroprotective potential in experimental settings that model the progressive loss of midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons in Parkinson's disease. Using rat midbrain cultures, we established that xenon was partially protective for DA neurons through either direct or indirect effects on these neurons. So, when DA neurons were exposed to l‐trans‐pyrrolidine‐2,4‐dicarboxylic acid so as to increase ambient glutamate levels and generate slow and sustained excitotoxicity, the effect of xenon on DA neurons was direct. The vitamin E analog Trolox also partially rescued DA neurons in this setting and enhanced neuroprotection by xenon. However, in the situation where DA cell death was spontaneous, the protection of DA neurons by xenon appeared indirect as it occurred through the repression of a mechanism mediated by proliferating glial cells, presumably astrocytes and their precursor cells. Xenon also exerted trophic effects for DA neurons in this paradigm. The effects of xenon were mimicked and improved by the N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate glutamate receptor antagonist memantine and xenon itself appeared to work by antagonizing N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptors. Note that another noble gas argon could not reproduce xenon effects. Overall, present data indicate that xenon can provide protection and trophic support to DA neurons that are vulnerable in Parkinson's disease. This suggests that xenon might have some therapeutic value for this disorder.

Nitrous oxide persistently alleviates pain hypersensitivity in neuropathic rats: A dose-dependent effect

BACKGROUND

Despite numerous pharmacological approaches, there are no common analgesic drugs that produce meaningful relief for the majority of patients with neuropathic pain. Although nitrous oxide (N2O) is a weak analgesic that acts via opioid-dependent mechanisms, it is also an antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). The NMDAR plays a critical role in the development of pain sensitization induced by nerve injury.

OBJECTIVE

Using the chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve in male rats as a preclinical model of neuropathic pain, the first aim of the present study was to evaluate the lowest N2O concentration and the shortest time of N2O postinjury exposure that would produce persistent relief of neuropathic pain. The second aim was to compare the effects of N2O with gabapentin, a reference drug used in human neuropathic pain relief.

METHODS

Changes in the nociceptive threshold were evaluated using the paw pressure vocalization test in rats.

RESULTS

Among the various N2O concentrations tested, which ranged from 25% to 50%, only 50% N2O single exposure for 1 h 15 min induced a persistent (minimum of three weeks) and significant (60%) reduction in pain hypersensitivity. A single gabapentin dose (75 mg⁄kg to 300 mg⁄kg, intraperitoneally) induced an acute (1 h to 1 h 30 min) dose-dependent effect, but not a persistent effect such as that observed with N2O.

CONCLUSIONS

These preclinical results suggest that N2O is advantageous for long-lasting neuropathic pain relief after sciatic nerve injury compared with other drugs used in humans such as gabapentinoids or NMDAR antagonists. The present preclinical study provides a rationale for developing comparative clinical studies.

Argon and xenon ventilation during prolonged ex vivo lung perfusion

BACKGROUND

Evidence supports the use of ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) as a platform for active reconditioning before transplantation to increase the potential donor pool and to reduce the incidence of primary graft dysfunction. A promising reconditioning strategy is the administration of inhaled noble gases based on their organoprotective effects. Our aim was to validate a porcine warm ischemic lung injury model and investigate postconditioning with argon (Ar) or xenon (Xe) during prolonged EVLP.

METHODS

Domestic pigs were divided in four groups (n = 5 per group). In the negative control group, lungs were flushed immediately. In the positive control (PC) and treatment (Ar, Xe) groups, lungs were flushed after a warm ischemic interval of 2-h in situ. All grafts were evaluated and treated during normothermic EVLP for 6 h. In the control groups, lungs were ventilated with 70% N2/30% O2 and in the treatment groups with 70% Ar/30% O2 or 70% Xe/30% O2, respectively. Outcome parameters were physiological variables (pulmonary vascular resistance, peak airway pressures, and PaO2/FiO2), histology, wet-to-dry weight ratio, bronchoalveolar lavage, and computed tomography scan.

RESULTS

A significant difference between negative control and PC for pulmonary vascular resistance, peak airway pressures, PaO2/FiO2, wet-to-dry weight ratio, histology, and computed tomography-imaging was observed. No significant differences between the injury group (PC) and the treatment groups (Ar, Xe) were found.

CONCLUSIONS

We validated a reproducible prolonged 6-h EVLP model with 2 h of warm ischemia and described the physiological changes over time. In this model, ventilation during EVLP with Ar or Xe administered postinjury did not improve graft function.

Pharmacokinetic analysis of the chronic administration of the inert gases Xe and Ar using a physiological based model

Background

New gas therapies using inert gases such as xenon and argon are being studied, which would require chronically administered repeating doses. The pharmacokinetics of this type of administration has not been addressed in the literature.

Methods

A physiologically based pharmacokinetics (PBPK) model for humans, pigs, mice, and rats has been developed to investigate the unique aspects of the chronic administration of inert gas therapies. The absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) models are as follows: absorption in all compartments is assumed to be perfusion limited, no metabolism of the gases occurs, and excretion is only the reverse process of absorption through the lungs and exhaled.

Results

The model has shown that there can be a residual dose, equivalent to constant administration, for chronic repeated dosing of xenon in humans. However, this is not necessarily the case for small animals used in pre-clinical studies.

Conclusions

The use of standard pharmacokinetics parameters such as area under the curve would be more appropriate to assess the delivered dose of chronic gas administration than the gas concentration in the delivery system that is typically reported in the scientific literature because species and gas differences can result in very different delivered doses.

The effects of xenon and nitrous oxide gases on alcohol relapse

BACKGROUND

In recent years, the glutamate theory of alcoholism has emerged as a major theory in the addiction research field and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors have been shown to play a major role in alcohol craving and relapse. The NMDA receptors are considered as the primary side of action of the anesthetic gases xenon (Xe) and nitrous oxide (N2 O). Despite the rapid on/off kinetics of these gases on the NMDA receptor, a brief gas exposure can induce an analgesic or antireward effect lasting several days. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of both Xe and N2 O on alcohol-seeking and relapse-like drinking behavior (measured as the alcohol deprivation effect) in Wistar rats.

METHODS

We used 2 standard procedures-the alcohol deprivation model with repeated deprivation phases and the cue-induced reinstatement model of alcohol seeking-to study the effect of 2 brief gas exposures of either Xe, N2 O, or control gas on relapse-like drinking and alcohol-seeking behavior.

RESULTS

Here, we show that exposure to Xe during the last 24 hours of abstinence produced a trend toward reduced ethanol intake during the first alcohol re-exposure days. In addition, Xe gas exposure significantly decreased the cue-induced reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behavior. N2 O had no effect on either behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

Xe reduces alcohol-seeking behavior in rats and may therefore also interfere with craving in human alcoholics.

Antiapoptotic activity of argon and xenon

Although chemically non-reactive, inert noble gases may influence multiple physiological and pathological processes via hitherto uncharacterized physical effects. Here we report a cell-based detection system for assessing the effects of pre-defined gas mixtures on the induction of apoptotic cell death. In this setting, the conventional atmosphere for cell culture was substituted with gas combinations, including the same amount of oxygen (20%) and carbon dioxide (5%) but 75% helium, neon, argon, krypton, or xenon instead of nitrogen. The replacement of nitrogen with noble gases per se had no effects on the viability of cultured human osteosarcoma cells in vitro. Conversely, argon and xenon (but not helium, neon, and krypton) significantly limited cell loss induced by the broad-spectrum tyrosine kinase inhibitor staurosporine, the DNA-damaging agent mitoxantrone and several mitochondrial toxins. Such cytoprotective effects were coupled to the maintenance of mitochondrial integrity, as demonstrated by means of a mitochondrial transmembrane potential-sensitive dye and by assessing the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol. In line with this notion, argon and xenon inhibited the apoptotic activation of caspase-3, as determined by immunofluorescence microscopy coupled to automated image analysis. The antiapoptotic activity of argon and xenon may explain their clinically relevant cytoprotective effects.

An experimental porcine model of heterotopic renal autotransplantation

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to validate an experimental model of heterotopic renal allotransplantation. Such a model, more relevant to the human situation, has never been previously described.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Pietrin pigs (40 to 50 kg) were used in the study. Through a midline incision, the left kidney was removed, washed, and preserved in a standard preservation solution (Celsior, Genzyme, France) for 20 hours at 4 °C. Heterotopic autotransplantation was performed into the right iliac fossa onto the external iliac vessels with an end-to-side anastomosis and a nonstented uretero-ureteral anastomosis was performed.

RESULTS

Twenty-five renal allotransplantations were performed over a 5-month time period. Mean operating time progressively decreased and stabilized after 15 procedures (mean ± SD: 78.2 ± 19 minutes and 187.4 ± 18 minutes for left nephrectomy and transplantation, respectively) as morbidity decreased concomitantly. Suturing times for end-to-side anastomosis of the renal artery and vein onto the external iliac artery and vein were 21.9 ± 7 minutes and 34 ± 8 minutes (mean ± SD), respectively. Ten pigs died before the end of the experiment.

CONCLUSIONS

We have developed and validated the first nonrodent animal model of heterotopic renal autotransplantation relevant to the human anatomy and physiology. The procedure was easy to learn and safe. This model could be used to teach junior surgeons renal transplantation techniques and could also be used as a model to study ischemia-reperfusion injury in renal transplantation.

The transcriptome of Nrf2-/- mice provides evidence for impaired cell cycle progression in the development of cigarette smoke-induced emphysematous changes

Cigarette smoke (CS) imposes a strong oxidative burden on exposed tissues resulting in a severely disturbed oxidant/antioxidant balance, which in the context of chronic exposure is assumed to be a key contributor to CS-related diseases. Because of its emerging central role in orchestrating the general cellular antioxidant response, the pathway leading to the activation of the transcription factor Nrf2 has received mounting attention over the past decade in investigations aimed at elucidating CS-induced pathophysiological mechanisms. To comprehensively characterize the impact of Nrf2 in acute and subchronic smoking scenarios, Nrf2(-/-) mice and their wild-type (wt) ICR littermates were exposed to either ambient air (sham exposure) or one of three doses of CS for up to 5 months, with two postexposure endpoints of 1 and 13 days. The lungs of the mice were monitored for transcriptomic changes on a genome-wide level, which confirmed an impaired expression of antioxidant and phase 2-related genes in CS-exposed Nrf2(-/-) mice. Importantly, in comparison to wt mice, an attenuated cell cycle/mitotic response and intensified stress gene expression pattern were observed in exposed Nrf2(-/-) mice, which was paralleled by clear dose-dependent effects on alveolar destruction and impaired lung function. In contrast, the inflammation-related transcriptional response and scores for various bronchioalveolar inflammation parameters were qualitatively and quantitatively similar in CS-exposed mice of both genotypes. Taken together, these results confirm the protective nature of Nrf2 in oxidative stress scenarios and suggest that the enhanced emphysematous phenotype exhibited by CS-exposed Nrf2(-/-) mice is more likely caused by an imbalance in cell loss and regeneration than by increased inflammation.