Cerebral ischemia revisited: New insights as revealed using in vitro brain slice preparations

Summary The elucidation of the pathophysiological mechanisms of cerebral ischemia/hypoxia dictates the use of experimental models which mimic this disabling brain condition. In vivo experimental models have been available for many decades and are responsible for the bulk of, though incomplete, knowledge we have about these mechanisms. Since study in isolation of each postulated mechanism is impossible in vivo, the need for an in vitro experimental model has intensified in recent years. Consequently, rat and guinea pig hippocampal slice preparations have emerged as the models of choice. This review attempts to highlight some of the results obtained using brain slices in the study of cerebral ischemia/hypoxia and compare them to those obtained in vivo. Both the biochemical and the physiological correlates of energy metabolism, ion homeostasis, neurotransmission and neuromodulation of this brain condition are reviewed. The agreements, and especially the disagreements, between the in vivo and in vitro findings are emphasized. Details are given of the possible roles of both lactic acid, Ca²⁺ and excitotoxins in the neuronal damage inflicted by cerebral ischemia/hypoxia. Recent attempts to protect brain slices against experimental cerebral ischemic/hypoxic damage are also reviewed here briefly.     

复方三芪提取物对NMDA致大鼠视网膜损伤的保护作用

目的:研究复方三芪提取物对由N-甲基-D天门冬氨酸(NMDA)诱导的大鼠视网膜损伤模型的保护作用.方法:20只SD大鼠随机分为5组:正常对照组、模型组、复方三芪提取物低、中、高剂量组.模型组和给药组大鼠于右眼玻璃体内注射2μL 40 nmol.L-1NMDA,制备视网膜神经元损伤模型.给药组在NMDA注射前7 d起给予复方三芪提取物灌胃(3.903,7.805,15.61 g.kg-1.B.W.);正常对照组和模型组则给予等剂量的生理盐水灌胃.注射NMDA 7 d后静脉取血,测定血清超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性及丙二醛(MDA)含量,取眼球组织,切片HE染色,观察视网膜厚度,并对视网膜视神经节细胞层(RGCL)神经元进行计数.结果:模型组大鼠RGCL神经元个数为正常组大鼠的51±6%.同模型组相比,复方三芪提取物(3.903,7.805,15.61 g.kg-1.B.W.)能剂量依赖性地增加RGCL神经元个数(P<0.05),依次为正常组的69±6%,89±7%,103±7%.复方三芪提取物(7.805 g.kg-1.B.W.)显著提高大鼠血清SOD活性并降低MDA含量(P<0.001).结论:复方三芪提取物能抑制NMDA诱导的视网膜脂质过氧化,并能阻止大鼠视网膜神经元进行性丢失,对NMDA诱导损伤的大鼠视网膜有修复作用.提示复方三芪提取物可能具有促进神经元的再生作用.     

Molecular mechanisms of nitrosative stress-mediated protein misfolding in neurodegenerative diseases

Nitrosative and oxidative stress, associated with the generation of excessive reactive oxygen or nitrogen species, are thought to contribute to neurodegenerative disorders. Many such diseases are characterized by conformational changes in proteins that result in their misfolding and aggregation. Accumulating evidence implies that at least two pathways affect protein folding: the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and molecular chaperones. Normal protein degradation by the UPS can prevent accumulation of aberrantly folded proteins. Molecular chaperones – such as protein-disulfide isomerase, glucose-regulated protein 78, and heat shock proteins – can provide neuroprotection from aberrant proteins by facilitating proper folding and thus preventing their aggregation. Our recent studies have linked nitrosative stress to protein misfolding and neuronal cell death. Here, we present evidence for the hypothesis that nitric oxide contributes to degenerative conditions by S-nitrosylating specific chaperones or UPS proteins that would otherwise prevent accumulation of misfolded proteins. Received 5 December 2006; received after revision 7 February 2007; accepted 15 March 2007     

AMPA receptors: potential implications in development and disease

α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazoleproprionic acid (AMPA) receptors are one type of ionotropic glutamate receptor involved in rapid excitatory synaptic transmission. AMPA receptors have been increasingly implicated in long-term potentiation, and recent evidence suggests that they may play a role in disorders affecting the nervous system. The finding that early in postnatal development AMPA receptors are not expressed has lately been the focus of much attention. Resolving the factors involved in AMPA receptor expression suggests that their induction is a developmentally regulated process with the possibility that alterations in receptor expression may be correlated with pathology in neurological disorders. This paper provides an overview of factors involved in AMPA receptor induction as well as of their role in plasticity and neuronal pathologies. Received 5 December 2000; received after revision 12 January 2001; accepted 2 February 2001     

去氢表雄酮对抗NMDA神经毒性与抑制细胞内Ca2+升高有关

去氢表雄酮(Dehydroepiandrosterone，DHEA)是一种神经甾体物质，虽然已经发现对中枢神经系统有保护作用，但其分子机制尚未阐明．从胚胎小鼠(E15～16)大脑皮层分离神经元，离体培养10d，用MTT法检测DHEA对抗NMDA神经毒性的作用．用荧光染料Fluo-3处理后，激光共聚焦显微镜分析胞内Ca^2 浓度的变化，研究了DHEA神经保护作用与胞内Ca^2 浓度的相关性．结果发现：(1)NMDA的剂量、时间依赖方式降低神经元的活性，(2)DHEA预处理可以明显改善NMDA诱导的形态学变化，且剂量依赖性预防NMDA的毒性，(3)1mmol／L NMDA诱导细胞内游离Ca^2 荧光浓度的迅速升高，而DHEA可以阻断这种变化．以上数据表明，DHEA可以保护神经元，对抗NMDA的神经毒性作用，其机制可能与抑制胞内Ca^2 升高有关．     

Protein phosphatases and their potential implications in neuroprotective processes

Several neurological disorders such as stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and epilepsy result from excitotoxic events and are accompanied by neuronal cell death. These processes engage multiple signalling pathways and recruit numerous molecular components, in particular several families of protein kinases and protein phosphatases. While many investigations have examined the importance of protein kinases in excitotoxicity, protein phosphatases have not been well studied in this context. However, recent advances in understanding the functions of protein phosphatases have suggested that they may play a neuroprotective role. In this review, we summarize some of the recent findings that illustrate the pleiotropic and complex functions of tyrosine and serine/threonine protein phosphatases in the cascade of events leading to neuronal cell death, and highlight their potential intervention in limiting the extent of neuronal death.Received 8 January 2005; received after revision 3 March 2005; accepted 14 March 2005     

Carbamazepine inhibits NMDA-induced depolarizations in cortical wedges prepared from DBA/2 mice

There is some doubt as to the mechanism of action of the widely-used anticonvulsant drug, carbamazepine. In cortical wedges prepared from genetically epilepsy-prone DBA/2 mice, carbamazepine at therapeutic concentrations (1–10 M) markedly reduced the depolarization produced by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA). The NMDA sub-type of glutamate receptor has been implicated in the pathogenesis of epilepsy and the inhibitory action of carbamazepine on this response suggests that the anticonvulsant action of the drug may be due to its blockade of NMDA receptor-mediated events.     

慢性噪音暴露诱发小鼠低焦虑样行为及其分子机制的研究

噪音日益严重地影响着人类的健康,为了探讨慢性噪音对小鼠情绪和注意力的影响及其分子机制.分别给予6周龄雄性小鼠以噪音刺激(75 dB,8 h/d),连续30 d后检测小鼠与情绪和注意力相关的行为表现.结果发现,噪音组小鼠在开场实验中心区域运动距离的百分比升高,在明暗箱实验中表现为在明箱中运动时间增多以及在强迫游泳实验中静...     

新型tacrine双联体对培养大鼠海马神经元NMDA受体作用位点的研究

目的：研究新型tacrine双联体bis（7）-tacrine对NMDA受体的作用位点.方法：大鼠海马神经元原代培养,全细胞膜片钳记录培养大鼠海马神经元上NMDA激活电流变化.结果：细胞外液pH值从8.1改变到6.7,在细胞外液中加入二硫苏糖醇（2 mmol/L）、精胺（10 mol/L）、镁离子（50～500 mol...