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Mesencephalic Cultures (mesencephalic + culture)
Selected AbstractsTrisialoganglioside GT1b induces in vivo degeneration of nigral dopaminergic neurons: Role of microgliaGLIA, Issue 1 2002Jae K. Ryu Abstract We recently showed that trisialoganglioside (GT1b) induces cell death of dopaminergic neurons in rat mesencephalic cultures (Chung et al., Neuroreport 12:611,614, 2001). The present study examines the in vivo neurotoxic effects of GT1b on dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) of Sprague-Dawley rats. Seven days after GT1b injection into the SN, immunocytochemical staining of SN tissue revealed death of nigral neurons, including dopaminergic neurons. Additional immunostaining using OX-42 and OX-6 antibodies showed that GT1b-activated microglia were present in the SN where degeneration of nigral neurons was found. Western blot analysis and double-labeled immunohistochemistry showed that inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was expressed in the SN, where its levels were maximal at 8 h post-GT1b injection, and that iNOS was localized exclusively within microglia. GT1b-induced loss of dopaminergic neurons in the SN was partially inhibited by NG -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride, an NOS inhibitor. Our results indicate that in vivo neurotoxicity of GT1b against nigral dopaminergic neurons is at least in part mediated by nitric oxide released from activated microglia. Because GT1b exists abundantly in central nervous system neuronal membranes, our data support the hypothesis that immune-mediated events triggered by endogenous compounds such as GT1b could contribute to the initiation and/or the progression of dopaminergic neuronal cell death that occurs in Parkinson's disease. GLIA 38:15,23, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Preferential vulnerability of mesencephalic dopamine neurons to glutamate transporter dysfunctionJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2008Imane Nafia Abstract Nigral depletion of the main brain antioxidant GSH is the earliest biochemical event involved in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis. Its causes are completely unknown but increasing number of evidence suggests that glutamate transporters [excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs)] are the main route by which GSH precursors may enter the cell. In this study, we report that dopamine (DA) neurons, which express the excitatory amino acid carrier 1, are preferentially affected by EAAT dysfunction when compared with non-DA neurons. In rat embryonic mesencephalic cultures, l -trans-pyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylate, a substrate inhibitor of EAATs, is directly and preferentially toxic for DA neurons by decreasing the availability of GSH precursors and lowering their resistance threshold to glutamate excitotoxicity through NMDA-receptors. In adult rat, acute intranigral injection of l -trans-pyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylate induces a large regionally selective and dose-dependent loss of DA neurons and ,-synuclein aggregate formation. These data highlight for the first time the importance of excitatory amino acid carrier 1 function for the maintenance of antioxidant defense in DA neurons and suggest its dysfunction as a candidate mechanism for the selective death of DA neurons such as occurring in Parkinson's disease. [source] Neurotoxic mechanisms of 2,9-dimethyl-,-carbolinium ion in primary dopaminergic cultureJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 4 2006Juliane Hamann Abstract ,-Carbolines are potential endogenous and exogenous neurotoxicants that may contribute to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. The 2,9-dimethyl-,-carbolinium ion (either 2,9-dimethyl-,-norharmanium or 2,9-Me2NH+) was found to be neurotoxic in primary mesencephalic cultures and to be a potent inhibitor of mitochondrial complex I. However, the precise mechanisms of cell death remained obscure. Here, we investigated the mechanism of cell death in primary dopaminergic cultures of the mouse mesencephalon mediated by 2,9-Me2NH+. The ,-carboline caused preferential death of dopaminergic neurones, which could not be attributed to cellular uptake via the dopamine transporter. Transient incubation with 2,9-Me2NH+ for 48 h caused a progressive deterioration in the morphology of dopaminergic neurones during a 5-day recovery period and persistent damage to the overall culture. An increase in free radical production and caspase-3 activity, as well as a decrease of respiratory activity, mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP content, contributed to toxicity and pointed to an apoptotic mode of cell death, although a significant quantity of cells dying via necrosis were present simultaneously. These data underline the preferential susceptibility of dopaminergic neurones to 2,9-Me2NH+ as a potent, oxidative stress generating neurotoxin. [source] Preferential Resistance of Dopaminergic Neurons to the Toxicity of Glutathione Depletion Is Independent of Cellular Glutathione Peroxidase and Is Mediated by TetrahydrobiopterinJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 6 2000Ken Nakamura Abstract: Depletion of glutathione in the substantia nigra is one of the earliest changes observed in Parkinson's disease (PD) and could initiate dopaminergic neuronal degeneration. Nevertheless, experimental glutathione depletion does not result in preferential toxicity to dopaminergic neurons either in vivo or in vitro. Moreover, dopaminergic neurons in culture are preferentially resistant to the toxicity of glutathione depletion, possibly owing to differences in cellular glutathione peroxidase (GPx1) function. However, mesencephalic cultures from GPx1-knockout and wild-type mice were equally susceptible to the toxicity of glutathione depletion, indicating that glutathione also has GPx1-independent functions in neuronal survival. In addition, dopaminergic neurons were more resistant to the toxicity of both glutathione depletion and treatment with peroxides than nondopaminergic neurons regardless of their GPx1 status. To explain this enhanced antioxidant capacity, we hypothesized that tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) may function as an antioxidant in dopaminergic neurons. In agreement, inhibition of BH4 synthesis increased the susceptibility of dopaminergic neurons to the toxicity of glutathione depletion, whereas increasing BH4 levels completely protected nondopaminergic neurons against it. Our results suggest that BH4 functions as a complementary antioxidant to the glutathione/glutathione peroxidase system and that changes in BH4 levels may contribute to the pathogenesis of PD. [source] Prothrombin kringle-2 induces death of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons in vivo and in vitro via microglial activationJOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, Issue 7 2010Sang Ryong Kim Abstract We have shown that prothrombin kringle-2 (pKr-2), a domain of human prothrombin distinct from thrombin could activate cultured rat brain microglia in vitro. However, little is known whether pKr-2-induced microglial activation could cause neurotoxicity on dopaminergic (DA) neurons in vivo. To address this question, pKr-2 was injected into the rat substantia nigra (SN). Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunohistochemistry experiments demonstrate significant loss of DA neurons seven days after injection of pKr-2. In parallel, pKr-2-activated microglia were detected in the SN with OX-42 and OX-6 immunohistochemistry. Reverse transcription PCR and double-label immunohistochemistry revealed that activated microglia in vivo exhibit early and transient expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and several proinflammatory cytokines. The pKr-2-induced loss of SN DA neurons was partially inhibited by the NOS inhibitor NG -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride, and the COX-2 inhibitor DuP-697. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, c-Jun N-terminal kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase were activated in the SN as early as 1 hr after pKr-2 injection, and localized within microglia. Inhibition of these kinases led to attenuation of mRNA expression of iNOS, COX-2 and several proinflammatory cytokines, and rescue of DA neurons in the SN. Intriguingly, following treatment with pKr-2 in vitro, neurotoxicity was detected exclusively in co-cultures of mesencephalic neurons and microglia, but not microglia-free neuron-enriched mesencephalic cultures, indicating that microglia are required for pKr-2 neurotoxicity. Our results strongly suggest that microglia activated by endogenous compound(s), such as pKr-2, are implicated in the DA neuronal cell death in the SN. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Loss of dopaminergic neurons by the induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 via CD40: Relevance to Parkinson's diseaseJOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, Issue 6 2005Tatsusada Okuno Abstract A glial reaction associated with up-regulation of inflammatory molecules has been suggested to play an important role in dopaminergic neuron loss in Parkinson's disease (PD). Among inflammatory molecules, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) have been focused upon as key factors in the pathogenesis. However, the mechanism of how these molecules are induced in PD brains is not clearly understood. We focused on CD40, which is expressed on neural cells and could be implicated in the neuroinflammation by inducing inflammatory molecules. We showed that both iNOS and COX-2 were up-regulated in microglia and astrocytes by CD40 stimulation in association with a low dose of interferon-, (IFN-,) in vitro. Selective loss of dopaminergic neurons was induced by costimulation with CD40 and IFN-, in mesencephalic cultures, which was protected by selective inhibitors of iNOS and/or COX-2. We also found in CD40-stimulated astrocytes an increase of a low-affinity IgE receptor CD23, which is known to induce iNOS expression. Together these data suggest that up-regulated iNOS and COX-2 via the CD40 pathway may lead to dopaminergic neuron loss and may participate in the neuroinflammaory pathway of PD. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Interactions between CB1 receptors and TRPV1 channels mediated by 12-HPETE are cytotoxic to mesencephalic dopaminergic neuronsBRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 2 2008S R Kim Background and purposes: We recently proposed the existence of neurotoxic interactions between the cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channels in rat mesencephalic cultures. This study seeks evidence for the mediator(s) and mechanisms underlying the neurotoxic interactions between CB1 receptors and TRPV1 in vitro and in vivo. Experimental approach: The mediator(s) and mechanism(s) for the interactions between CB1 receptors and TRPV1 were evaluated by cell viability assays, immunocytochemistry, Fura-2 calcium imaging, mitochondrial morphology assay, ELISA and Western blot assay in vitro in neuron-enriched mesencephalic cultures. Injections into the substantia nigra and subsequent cell counts were also used to confirm these interactions in vivo. Key results: The neurotoxic interactions were mediated by 12(S)-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12(S)-HPETE), an endogenous TRPV1 agonist. CB1 receptor agonists (HU210 and WIN55,212-2) increased the level of 12(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12(S)-HETE), a downstream metabolite of 12(S)-HPETE, which stimulates TRPV1-mediated death of mesencephalic neurons, both in vitro and in vivo. The neurotoxicity was mediated by increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) through TRPV1, consequently leading to mitochondrial damage and was attenuated by baicalein, a 12-lipoxygenase inhibitor. Conclusion and implications: Activation of CB1 receptors in rat mesencephalic neurons was associated with biosynthesis of 12(S)-HPETE, which in turn stimulated TRPV1 activity, leading to increased [Ca2+]i, mitochondrial damage and neuronal death. British Journal of Pharmacology (2008) 155, 253,264; doi:10.1038/bjp.2008.246; published online 16 June 2008 [source] | ||||||||||