Transketolase and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activities in the brain and liver of the developing rat

Summary Rat brain transketolase showed little change in activity from birth to adulthood, whereas the liver enzyme activity increased in a biphasic way. In both brain and liver, 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activity increased gradually after birth and reached a plateau at 5 weeks of age. A developmental change in thiamin content in the brain was similar to the change in the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activity, but this was not the case in the liver.     

Aldose metabolism in developing human fetal brain and liver

Summary Aldose reductase, sorbitol dehydrogenase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme activities were studied in human foetal brain and liver at different periods of gestation. Aldose reductase activity in liver disappears after 16 weeks of gestation whereas sorbitol dehydrogenase keeps on increasing in liver as well as in brain. In utero, some glucose metabolism may be mediated through an active sorbitol pathway in human fetuses.Acknowledgments. These studies were supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research.     

Trypsin and trypsin-like proteases in the brain: Proteolysis and cellular functions

Several serine proteases including thrombin, tissue-type plasminogen activator and urokinase-type plasminogen activator have been well characterized in the brain. In this article, we review the brain-related trypsin and trypsin-like serine proteases. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that trypsin and trypsin-like serine proteases play very important roles in neural development, plasticity, neurodegeneration and neuroregeneration in the brain. Neuropsin is able to hydrolyze the extracellular matrix components by its active site serine, and regulates learning and memory in normal brain. The mutant neurotrypsin contributes to mental retardation in children. Neurosin seems to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis. Although mesotrypsin/trypsin IV is also implicated in neurodegeneration, its functional significance still remains largely unknown. Particularly, mesotrypsin/trypsin IV, P22 and neurosin exert their physiological and pathological functions through activation of certain protease-activated receptors (PARs). In the brain, the presence of serpins controls the activity of serine proteases. Therefore, understanding the interaction among brain trypsin, serpins and PARs will provide invaluable tools for regulating normal brain functions and for the clinical treatment of neural disorders. Y. Wang, W. Luo: These authors made equal contributions. Received 26 June 2007; received after revision 13 August 2007; accepted 12 September 2007     

Histone deacetylases: Focus on the nervous system

Neurodegenerative disease strikes millions worldwide and there is mounting evidence suggesting that underlying the onset and progression of these debilitating diseases is inappropriate neuronal apoptosis. Recent reports have implicated a family of proteins known as histone deacetylases (HDACs) in various neuronal processes including the neuronal death program. Initial headway in this field has been made largely through the use of broad-spectrum HDAC inhibitors. In fact, pharmacological inhibition of HDAC activity has been shown to protect neurons in several models of neurodegeneration. The observation that HDAC inhibitors can have opposing effects in different paradigms of neurodegeneration suggests that individual members of the HDAC protein family may play distinct roles that could depend on the specific cell type under study. The purpose of this review is to detail work involving the use of HDAC inhibitors within the context of neurodegeneration and examine the roles of individual HDAC members in the nervous system with specific focus on neuronal cell death. Received 25 January 2007; received after revision 3 April 2007; accepted 26 April 2007     

Irradiation of the head by60Co opens the blood-brain barrier for drugs in rats

Summary The passage of 6 model drugs; acetylsalicylic acid, chloramphenicol, ethimizol, carbisocaine, heptacaine, and diazepam, through the blood-brain barrier, was determined in unirradiated control rats and in animals 1, 3, and 7 days after irradiation of the head only with a dose of 25 Gy from a⁶⁰Co source. The brain uptake index (BUI), which compares the uptake of the test substance with that of³H₂O 5 s after their injection into the common carotid artery, was significantly increased in comparison with unirradiated controls 7 days after irradiation, for all substances tested except for ethimizol. For acetylsalicylic acid and chloramphenicol it was also significantly increased in the other time intervals. The less lipophilic substances showed a greater relative increase of BUI than the more lipophilic ones.     

Ethanol inhibits insulin expression and actions in the developing brain

Ethanol-induced cerebellar hypoplasia is associated with inhibition of insulin-stimulated survival signaling. The present work explores the mechanisms of impaired insulin signaling in a rat model of fetal alcohol syndrome. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR demonstrated reduced expression of the insulin gene in cerebella of ethanol-exposed pups. Although receptor expression was unaffected, insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) activities were reduced by ethanol exposure, and these abnormalities were associated with increased PTP1b activity. In addition, glucose transporter molecule expression and steady-state levels of ATP were reduced in ethanol-exposed cerebellar tissue. Cultured cerebellar granule neurons from ethanol-exposed pups had reduced expression of genes encoding insulin, IGF-II, and the IGF-I and IGF-II receptors, and impaired insulin- and IGF-I-stimulated glucose uptake and ATP production. The results demonstrate that ethanol inhibits insulin-mediated actions in the developing brain by reducing local insulin production and insulin RTK activation, leading to inhibition of glucose transport and ATP production.Received 30 December 2004; received after revision 1 March 2005; accepted 10 March 2005     

Amino acid changes in the developing feline brain

Résumé La teneur en glutamine dans le cerveau des chatons nouveau-nés au cours de la maturation cérébrale est comparable à celle des animaux adultes. Les concentrations en acide glutamique et en GABA augmentent et vers la fin du premier mois postnatal correspondent au niveau des adultes.     

Cell lineage and cell migration in the developing cerebral cortex

Summary Modern techniques which trace lineages of individual progenitor cells have provided some clues about the processes that determine cell fate in the brain, and have also given us some information about migratory patterns of clonally related cells. In many parts of the central nervous system, progenitors are multipotent; single clones can contain multiple neuronal types or even mixtures of neurons and glia. In addition, one can observe a wide distribution in clone size, even when marking is done in a narrow time window. This suggests that progenitor cells may be fairly plastic and responsive to environmental signals. In the developing cortex, clonally related cells are initially grouped near each other, as in the retina and tectum. However, the subsequent migration of these cells from the ventricular zone to the cortex along glial fibers is accompanied by a progressive dispersion of clonally related neurons.     

Differential changes in Cu,Zn and Mn superoxide dismutase activity in developing rat brain and liver

Summary The aim of our study was to assess the pattern of copper and zinc-containing superoxide dismutase (Cu, ZnSOD) and manganese-containing superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) activity from embryonic life to senescence in rat brain and liver. The two isoenzymes showed different profiles in the two organs examined. In particular, the cerebral MnSOD activity profile suggests a primary role during differentiation of this enzymatic form.     

Neurotrophins and neuronal differentiation in the central nervous system

The central nervous system requires the proper formation of exquisitely precise circuits to function properly. These neuronal circuits are assembled during development by the formation of synaptic connections between hundreds of thousands of differentiating neurons. For these circuits to form correctly, neurons must elaborate precisely patterned axonal and dendritic arbors. Although the cellular and molecular mechanisms that guide neuronal differentiation and formation of connections remain mostly unknown, the neurotrophins have emerged recently as attractive candidates for regulating neuronal differentiation in the developing brain. The experiments reviewed here provide strong support for a bifunctional role for the neurotrophins in axonal and dendritic growth and are consistent with the exciting possibility that the neurotrophins might mediate activity-dependent synaptic plasticity.     

Aldose metabolism in developing human fetal brain and liver

Aldose reductase, sorbitol dehydrogenase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme activities were studied in human foetal brain and liver at different periods of gestation. Aldose reductase activity in liver disappears after 16 weeks of gestation whereas sorbitol dehydrogenase keeps on increasing in liver as well as in brain. In utero, some glucose metabolism may be mediated through an active sorbitol pathway in human fetuses.     

Prolonged copper depletion induces expression of antioxidants and triggers apoptosis in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells

SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were cultured for up to three serial passages in the presence of the copper chelator triethylene tetramine (Trien). The copper-depleted neuroblastoma cell line obtained showed decreased activities of the copper enzymes Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase and cytochrome c oxidase with concomitant increases in reactive oxygen species. Mitochondrial antioxidants (Mn superoxide dismutase and Bcl-2) were up-regulated. Overexpression and activation of p53 were early responses, leading to an increase in p21. Eventually, copper-depleted cells detached from the monolayer and underwent apoptosis. Activation of up-stream caspase-9, but not caspase-8, suggested that apoptosis proceeds via a mitochondrial pathway, followed by caspase-3 activation. The addition of copper sulfate to the copper-depleted cells restored copper enzymes, normalized antioxidant levels and improved cell viability. We conclude that prolonged copper starvation in these replicating cells leads to mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress and ultimately, apoptosis.Received 24 April 2003; accepted 23 May 2003     

Molecular targets of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in neurodegenerative diseases

During the last decade, interest has grown in the beneficial effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in neurodegeneration, particularly in pathologies such as Alzheimer’s (AD) and Parkinson’s (PD) disease. Evidence from epidemiological studies has indicated a decreased risk for AD and PD in patients with a history of chronic NSAID use. However, clinical trials with NSAIDs in AD patients have yielded conflicting results, suggesting that these drugs may be beneficial only when used as preventive therapy or in early stages of the disease. NSAIDs may also have salutary effects in other neurodegenerative diseases with an inflammatory component, such as multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In this review we analyze the molecular (cyclooxygenases, secretases, NF-κB, PPAR, or Rho-GTPasas) and cellular (neurons, microglia, astrocytes or endothelial cells) targets of NSAIDs that may mediate the therapeutic function of these drugs in neurodegeneration. Received 4 December 2006; received after revision 24 January 2007; accepted 23 February 2007     

Glutamate decarboxylase and γ-Aminobutyrate transaminase in developing rat brain

Résumé Le décarboxylase de glutamate (GAD) et le transaminase -aminobutyro--cétoglutarique (GABAT) ont été étudiés dans le cerveau du rat pendant le développement postnatal. Le résultat le plus frappant de cette recherche a été de montrer que le rapport de ces deux enzymes est à peu près constant au cours du développement. Ce rapport (GABAT/GAD) est de 2,5 à 3,7.     

Transketolase and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activities in the brain and liver of the developing rat

Rat brain transketolase showed little change in activity from birth to adulthood, whereas the liver enzyme activity increased in a biphasic way. In both brain and liver, 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activity increased gradually after birth and reached a plateau at 5 weeks of age. A developmental change in thiamin content in the brain was similar to the change in the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activity, but this was not the case in the liver.     

Interaction of smooth muscle relaxant drugs with calmodulin and cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase

Summary Some smooth muscle relaxant drugs with an unknown mechanism of action have been tested for their interaction with calmodulin and with calmodulin-induced cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity. The affinity of these drugs for calmodulin does not parallel their inhibitory effect on the calmodulin activation of PDE. The lack of parallelism could be due to a binding of the drugs to different sites on calmodulin; furthermore a binding of papaverine, octylonium bromide and felodipine to PDE molecule, might also be considered to explain their inhibitory effect on PDE basal activity. The myolytic effect of octylonium bromide and pinaverium bromide may be due to their interaction with calmodulin-dependent systems.     

Levels of cytochromes in heart,liver, kidney and brain in the developing rat

Zusammenfassung Der Gehalt an Cytochromen (c+c ₁,aa ₃ undb) in Herz, Leber, Gehirn und Niere der Ratte wurde bestimmt. Ihre Vermehrung nach der Geburt erwies sich in den Geweben als relativ individuell. Die Vermehrung des ausserhalb der Mitochondrien synthetisierten Cytochromenc ging den übrigen, von der intramitochondrialen Proteinsynthese unabhängigen Cytochromen voraus.