β淀粉样蛋白与Alzheimer病

Ａｌｚｈｅｉｍｅｒ病是当今颇受人们关注的疾病,近年来对其发病的分子机制俐较为深入。目前的研究热点集中在β淀粉样蛋白ｔａｕ蛋白和ＡＤ的发病关系上。本文就β淀粉样蛋白的来淅,其前体蛋白的基因突变,代谢加工途径,神经毒性作用以及转基因动物诸方面与ＡＤ的发病关系作一综述。     

离子型NMDA受体在缺氧耐受中的作用

离子型ＮＭＤＡ受体在缺氧耐受中的作用谢静晖吕国蔚（首都医科大学神经生物系，北京１０００５４）机体缺氧时的脑损伤与脑内兴奋性氨基酸（ＥＡＡｓ）增多及其受体激活引起的兴奋毒性作用有关；而重复缺氧可形成预适应而显著提高小鼠对缺氧的耐受性。本研究观察ＥＡＡｓ...     

三种番茄枝科植物成分的生物活性研究

从番荔枝科植物陵水暗罗（Ｐｏｌｙａｌｔｈｉａｎｅｍｏｒａｌｉｓ,Ａ．ｅｔ,ＤＣ．）的根中分离出暗罗素（ｚｉｎｃｐｏｌｙａｎｅｍｉｎｅ）为植物中首次分得含巯基氧化吡啶的锌化合物,实验证明;具有抗疟抗霉菌等作用,但毒性较大,剂量减少则毒性亦减少,此外,从该科植物假鹰爪（Ｄｅｓｍｏｓｃｈｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ,Ｌｏｕｒ。）的根中分离出３个双氢黄酮及毛叶假鹰爪（Ｄｅｓｍｏｓｄｕｍｏｓｕｓ（Ｒｏｘｂ．）Ｓａｆｆ）的     

人淀粉样前体蛋白基因C端在SH-SY5Y细胞系中的稳定表达及其对细胞生长发育的影响

淀粉样前体蛋白（ＡＰＰ）是阿尔茨海默氏病（ＡＤ）病因学中重要的分子,但其正常的生理功能尚不清楚．为了研究细胞内过量产生其各种片段对细胞生理机能的影响．将人ＡＰＰ６９５ｃＤＮＡ中编码Ｃ端１０５个氨基酸残基的ＤＮＡ片段重组到真核表达载体ｐＤＯＲｎｅｏ中形成重组质粒ｐＤＯＲ－ｎｅｏ－ＣＴ．然后用脂质体将其转染到人神经母细胞瘤细胞ＳＨ－ＳＹ５Ｙ中．用８００μｇ／ｍｌＧ４１８筛选获得了在ｍＲＮＡ和蛋白质水平均表达相应片段的稳定细胞系．ＭＴＴ和ＬＤＨ分析表明,ＡＰＰＣ端的表达未能对ＳＨ－ＳＹ５Ｙ细胞产生明显的毒性作用．     

神经诱向生长因子18kD蛋白的纯化

提取与纯化诱向生长因子是神经生物化学研究中的一个重要课题．采用自然系统凝胶电泳,分离周围神经损伤过程中产生的具有诱向生长作用的１８ｋＤ蛋白,再以等电聚焦凝胶电泳与神经组织联合培养,揭示了ｐＩ为５．２的１８ｋＤ蛋白具有诱神经生长的作用．经高效液相色谱仪分析获得较纯的１８ｋＤ诱向因子．蛋白／多肽测序仪检测,１８ｋＤ蛋白Ｎ端氨基酸序列为：ＰＥＰＡＷＳＡＰＡＰ．     

NMDA受体拮抗剂对阿片类药物耐受和依赖的阻断作用

本文综述阻断ＮＭＤＡ受体离子通道复合药物对阿惩耐受和成瘾发生的影响。行为药理学研究显示,非竞争性ＮＭＤＡ受体拮抗剂、竞争性ＮＭＤＡ受体拮抗剂和甘氨酸受占拮抗剂能抑制阿片耐受和戒断反应,其药理学特性明显不同于其他类型抗阿片耐受和成瘾的药物,阐述了ＮＭＤＡ受体拮抗剂治疗阿片类芗耐受和领事的系列化机制。并指出ＮＭＤＡ受体拮抗剂具有神经毒性。     

水分胁迫对小麦根细胞质膜氧化还原系统的影响

水分胁迫使小麦根质膜ＮＡＤＨ和ＮＡＤＰＨ的氧化速率及Ｆｅ（ＣＮ）６＾３－和ＥＤＴＡ－Ｆｅ＾３＋的还原速率明显降低。对照与胁迫处理的质膜氧化还原系统活性均不受鱼藤酮、抗霉素Ａ和ＤＣＮ等呼吸链抑制剂的影响。在不加Ｆｅ（ＣＮ）６＾－３作为电子受体时,水杨基羟肟酸（ＳＨＡＭ）可明显刺激质膜ＮＡＤＨ的氧化和Ｏ２吸收速率。水分胁迫促使ＳＨＡＭ刺激的ＮＡＤＨ氧化明显降低,但却使Ｏ２吸收略有上升。     

水分胁迫对小麦根细胞质膜氧化还原系统的影响

水分胁迫使小麦根质膜ＮＡＤＨ和ＮＡＤＰＨ的氧化速率及Ｆｅ（ＣＮ）６３－和ＥＤＴＡ－Ｆｅ３＋的还原速率明显降低。对照与胁迫处理的质膜氧化还原系统活性均不受鱼藤酮抗霉素Ａ和ＫＣＮ等呼吸链抑制剂的影响。在不加Ｆｅ（ＣＮ）６３－作为电子受体时,水杨基羟肘酸（ＳＨＷ）可明显刺激质膜ＮＡＤＨ的氧化和Ｏ２吸收速率。水分胁迫促使ＳＨＡＭ刺激的ＮＡＤＨ氧化明显降低,但却使Ｏ２吸收略有上升。     

中枢多巴胺转运蛋白的结构功能与调控

中枢多巴胺 (ＤＡ)能系统信号传递决定于突触间隙ＤＡ的浓度水平。ＤＡ在完成神经信息传递后 ,通过重摄取和酶解二种途径灭活以终止信息传递。其中大部分ＤＡ为位于突触前膜上的中枢多巴胺转运蛋白 (ＤＡＴ)所摄取 ,转运至突触前神经元以备再次利用。近年来研究发现 ,ＤＡＴ并不只是简单地重摄取ＤＡ ,ＤＡＴ同时又是调控突触间隙ＤＡ水平和维系突触前ＤＡ合成、储存功能的关键因素[1] 。另外 ,ＤＡＴ还是许多精神药物潜在的作用靶位点。因此 ,研究ＤＡＴ结构、功能及其调控 ,有助于阐明ＤＡＴ与ＤＡ系统精神神经疾病的关系和探索治疗策略。…     

化学修饰对反义寡核苷酸稳定性及抗流感病毒活性的影响

为了探讨 Ａ Ｓ Ｏ Ｄ Ｎ 化学修饰形式与 Ａ Ｓ Ｏ Ｄ Ｎ 稳定性,体外细胞毒性以及抗流感病毒活性之间的关系,合成了 ７ 种不同化学修饰形式的 Ａ Ｓ Ｏ Ｄ Ｎ：硫代 Ａ Ｓ Ｏ Ｄ Ｎ 及其 ３′端分别磷酸化和胆固醇修饰;３′与 ５′端硫代,中间为天然结构的混合骨架 Ａ Ｓ Ｏ Ｄ Ｎ;天然结构 Ａ Ｓ Ｏ Ｄ Ｎ 及其 ３′端分别磷酸化和胆固醇修饰等．测定了 ７ 种修饰体在小鼠血清, Ｍ Ｄ Ｃ Ｋ 细胞裂解液,含 ２％ 胎牛血清的 Ｄ Ｍ Ｅ Ｍ培养液以及水中的稳定性,体外细胞毒性和在细胞水平抗流感病毒活性．结果表明,混合骨架 Ａ Ｓ Ｏ Ｄ Ｎ,硫代 Ａ Ｓ Ｏ Ｄ Ｎ 及其 ３′端接磷酸和胆固醇的修饰形式在小鼠血清, Ｍ Ｄ Ｃ Ｋ 细胞裂解液与含２％ 胎牛血清的 Ｄ Ｍ Ｅ Ｍ 培养液中稳定性相对较高,作用 ２４～４８ ｈ 仅混合骨架 Ａ Ｓ Ｏ Ｄ Ｎ 与硫代 Ａ Ｓ Ｏ Ｄ Ｎ 发生部分降解;天然结构 Ａ Ｓ Ｏ Ｄ Ｎ 及其 ３′端接磷酸和胆固醇修饰体在 ２４ ｈ 内大部分降解．所有 Ａ Ｓ Ｏ Ｄ Ｎ 修饰体在水中具有很高稳定性,４８ ｈ 内未见降解作用．７ 种 Ａ Ｓ Ｏ Ｄ Ｎ 修饰形式在 Ｍ Ｄ Ｃ Ｋ 细胞中未表现明显的细胞毒性．硫代 Ａ Ｓ Ｏ Ｄ Ｎ 及其 ３′端接磷酸和胆     

Peroxynitrite- and nitrite-induced oxidation of dopamine: implications for nitric oxide in dopaminergic cell loss

Increased nitric oxide (NO) production has been implicated in many examples of neuronal injury such as the selective neurotoxicity of methamphetamine and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine to dopaminergic cells, presumably through the generation of the potent oxidant peroxynitrite (ONOO). Dopamine (DA) is a reactive molecule that, when oxidized to DA quinone, can bind to and inactivate proteins through the sulfhydryl group of the amino acid cysteine. In this study, we sought to determine if ONOO could oxidize DA and participate in this process of protein modification. We measured the oxidation of the catecholamine by following the binding of [3H]DA to the sulfhydryl-rich protein alcohol dehydrogenase. Results showed that ONOO oxidized DA in a concentration- and pH-dependent manner. We confirmed that the resulting DA-protein conjugates were predominantly 5-cysteinyl-DA residues. In addition, it was observed that ONOO decomposition products such as nitrite were also effective at oxidizing DA. These data suggest that the generation of NO and subsequent formation of ONOO or nitrite may contribute to the selective vulnerability of dopaminergic neurons through the oxidation of DA and modification of protein.     

Protective effects of metallothionein against dopamine quinone-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity

Dopamine (DA) quinone as DA neuron-specific oxidative stress conjugates with cysteine residues in functional proteins to form quinoproteins. Here, we examined the effects of cysteine-rich metal-binding proteins, metallothionein (MT)-1 and -2, on DA quinone-induced neurotoxicity. MT quenched DA semiquinones in vitro. In dopaminergic cells, DA exposure increased quinoproteins and decreased cell viability; these were ameliorated by pretreatment with MT-inducer zinc. Repeated L-DOPA administration markedly elevated striatal quinoprotein levels and reduced the DA nerve terminals specifically on the lesioned side in MT-knockout parkinsonian mice, but not in wild-type mice. Our results suggested that intrinsic MT protects against L-DOPA-induced DA quinone neurotoxicity in parkinsonian mice by its quinone-quenching property.     

Effects of 2-Deoxy-d-Glucose on Methamphetamine-Induced Dopamine and Serotonin Neurotoxicity

Abstract: The mechanisms underlying the neurotoxic actions of methamphetamine (METH) and related substituted amphetamines are unknown. Previous studies with 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) have suggested that METH-induced neurotoxicity may involve exhaustion of intracellular energy stores. However, because 2-DG also produces hypothermic effects, and because METH's neurotoxic actions are highly susceptible to thermoregulatory influence, previous findings with 2-DG are difficult to interpret. The present studies were undertaken to further examine the influence of 2-DG's glucoprivic and thermic effects in the context of METH-induced dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) neurotoxicity. 2-DG protected against METH-induced DA neurotoxicity in both rats and mice. In both species, 2-DG, alone or in combination with METH, produced hypothermic effects. METH's toxic effects on brain 5-HT neurons were either unaffected or exacerbated by 2-DG, depending on species, brain region, and dose of METH tested. These results indicate that different mechanisms may underlie METH-induced DA and 5-HT neurotoxicity, and suggest that, as compared with 5-HT neurons, DA neurons are more susceptible to temperature influence, whereas 5-HT neurons are more vulnerable than DA neurons to metabolic compromise. Additional studies are needed to further assess the role of energy stores in the neurotoxic effects of METH and related drugs.     

Dopamine Transporter Is Required for In Vivo MPTP Neurotoxicity: Evidence from Mice Lacking the Transporter

Abstract: The neurotoxic effect of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) was tested on mice lacking the dopamine (DA) transporter (DAT−/− mice). Striatal tissue DA content and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) mRNA expression were assessed as markers of MPTP neurotoxicity. MPTP (30 mg/kg, s.c., b.i.d.) produced an 87% decrease in tissue DA levels and a 29-fold increase in the level of GFAP mRNA in the striatum of wild-type animals 48 h after administration. Conversely, there were no significant changes in either parameter in DAT−/− mice. Heterozygotes demonstrated partial sensitivity to MPTP administration as shown by an intermediate value (48%) of tissue DA loss. Direct intrastriatal infusion of the active metabolite of MPTP, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺; 10 m M ), via a microdialysis probe produced a massive efflux of DA in wild-type mice (>320-fold). In the DAT−/− mice the same treatment produced a much smaller increase in extracellular DA (sixfold), which is likely secondary to tissue damage due to the implantation of the dialysis probe. These observations show that the DAT is a mandatory component for expression of MPTP toxicity in vivo.     

Effect of centrophenoxine against rotenone-induced oxidative stress in an animal model of Parkinson's disease

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). The important biochemical features of PD, being profound deficit in dopamine (DA) content, reduced glutathione (GSH), and enhanced lipid peroxidation (LPO) in dopaminergic (DA-ergic) neurons resulting in oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis. Rotenone-induced neurotoxicity is a well acknowledged preclinical model for studying PD in rodents as it produces selective DA-ergic neuronal degeneration. In our previous study, we have shown that chronic administration of rotenone to rats is able to produce motor dysfunction, which increases progressively with rotenone treatment and centrophenoxine (CPH) co-treatment is able to attenuate these motor defects. The present study was carried out to evaluate the antioxidant potential of CPH against rotenone-induced oxidative stress. Chronic administration of rotenone to SD rats resulted in marked oxidative damage in the midbrain region compared to other regions of the brain and CPH co-treatment successfully attenuated most of these changes. CPH significantly attenuated rotenone-induced depletion in DA, GSH and increase in LPO levels. In addition, the drug prevented the increase in nitric oxide (NO) and citrulline levels and also enhanced the activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Histological analysis carried out using hematoxylin and eosin staining has indicated severe damage to mid brain in comparison to cortex and cerebellum and this damage is attenuated by CPH co-treatment. Our results strongly indicate the possible therapeutic potential of centrophenoxine as an antioxidant in Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders where oxidative stress is a key player in the disease process.     

The newly synthesized pool of dopamine determines the severity of methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity

The neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) has long been implicated as a participant in the neurotoxicity caused by methamphetamine (METH), yet, its mechanism of action in this regard is not fully understood. Treatment of mice with the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) inhibitor α-methyl- p -tyrosine (AMPT) lowers striatal cytoplasmic DA content by 55% and completely protects against METH-induced damage to DA nerve terminals. Reserpine, by disrupting vesicle amine storage, depletes striatal DA by more than 95% and accentuates METH-induced neurotoxicity. l -DOPA reverses the protective effect of AMPT against METH and enhances neurotoxicity in animals with intact TH. Inhibition of MAO-A by clorgyline increases pre-synaptic DA content and enhances METH striatal neurotoxicity. In all conditions of altered pre-synaptic DA homeostasis, increases or decreases in METH neurotoxicity paralleled changes in striatal microglial activation. Mice treated with AMPT, l -DOPA, or clorgyline + METH developed hyperthermia to the same extent as animals treated with METH alone, whereas mice treated with reserpine + METH were hypothermic, suggesting that the effects of alterations in cytoplasmic DA on METH neurotoxicity were not strictly mediated by changes in core body temperature. Taken together, the present data reinforce the notion that METH-induced release of DA from the newly synthesized pool of transmitter into the extracellular space plays an essential role in drug-induced striatal neurotoxicity and microglial activation. Subtle alterations in intracellular DA content can lead to significant enhancement of METH neurotoxicity. Our results also suggest that reactants derived from METH-induced oxidation of released DA may serve as neuronal signals that lead to microglial activation early in the neurotoxic process associated with METH.     

Evidence against an essential role of endogenous brain dopamine in methamphetamine-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity

The present studies examined the role of endogenous dopamine (DA) in methamphetamine (METH)-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity while controlling for temperature-related neuroprotective effects of the test compounds, reserpine and alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (AMPT). To determine if the vesicular pool of DA was essential for the expression of METH-induced DA neurotoxicity, reserpine (3 mg/kg, given iintraperitoneally 24-26 h prior to METH) was given prior to a toxic dose regimen of METH. Despite severe striatal DA deficits during the period of METH exposure, mice treated with reserpine prior to METH developed long-term reductions in striatal DA axonal markers, suggesting that vesicular DA stores were not crucial for the development of METH neurotoxicity, but leaving open the possibility that cytoplasmic DA might be involved. To evaluate this possibility, cytoplasmic DA stores were depleted with AMPT prior to METH administration. When this study was carried out at 28 degrees C, complete neuroprotection was observed, likely due to lingering effects on core temperature because when the same study was repeated at 33 degrees C (to eliminate AMPT's hypothermic effect in METH-treated animals), the previously observed neuroprotection was no longer evident. In the third and final set of experiments, mice were pretreated with a combination of reserpine and AMPT, to deplete both vesicular and cytoplasmic DA pools, and to reduce striatal DA levels to negligible values during the period of METH administration (< 0.05%). When core temperature differences were eliminated by raising ambient temperature, METH-induced DA neurotoxic changes were evident in mice pretreated with reserpine and AMPT. Collectively, these findings bring into question the view that endogenous DA plays an essential role in METH-induced DA neurotoxicity.     

Rapid Communication: Attenuation of Methamphetamine-Induced Neurotoxicity in Copper/Zinc Superoxide Dismutase Transgenic Mice

Abstract: Administration of methamphetamine (METH) to rats and nonhuman primates causes loss of terminals in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system. The mechanism by which METH causes its neurotoxicity is not known. To evaluate further the role of oxyradicals in METH-induced neurotoxicity, we have tested its effects in CuZn superoxide dismutase (SOD) transgenic (Tg) mice, which express the human CuZnSOD gene. In non-Tg mice, acute METH administration causes significant decreases in levels of dopamine (DA) and 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the striata and cortices of non-Tg mice. In contrast, there were no significant decreases in cortical or striatal DA in the SOD-Tg mice. The effects of METH on DOPAC were also attenuated in both structures of these SOD-Tg mice. Chronic METH administration caused decreases in levels of striatal DA and DOPAC in the non- Tg mice, whereas the SOD-Tg mice were not affected. These results suggest that METH-induced dopaminergic toxicity in mice may be secondary to increased production of reactive oxygen species such as the superoxide radical.     

Increases in cytoplasmic dopamine compromise the normal resistance of the nucleus accumbens to methamphetamine neurotoxicity

Methamphetamine (METH) is a neurotoxic drug of abuse that damages the dopamine (DA) neuronal system in a highly delimited manner. The brain structure most affected by METH is the caudate–putamen (CPu) where long-term DA depletion and microglial activation are most evident. Even damage within the CPu is remarkably heterogenous with lateral and ventral aspects showing the greatest deficits. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is largely spared of the damage that accompanies binge METH intoxication. Increases in cytoplasmic DA produced by reserpine, l -DOPA or clorgyline prior to METH uncover damage in the NAc as evidenced by microglial activation and depletion of DA, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and the DA transporter. These effects do not occur in the NAc after treatment with METH alone. In contrast to the CPu where DA, TH, and DA transporter levels remain depleted chronically, DA nerve ending alterations in the NAc show a partial recovery over time. None of the treatments that enhance METH toxicity in the NAc and CPu lead to losses of TH protein or DA cell bodies in the substantia nigra or the ventral tegmentum. These data show that increases in cytoplasmic DA dramatically broaden the neurotoxic profile of METH to include brain structures not normally targeted for damage by METH alone. The resistance of the NAc to METH-induced neurotoxicity and its ability to recover reveal a fundamentally different neuroplasticity by comparison to the CPu. Recruitment of the NAc as a target of METH neurotoxicity by alterations in DA homeostasis is significant in light of the important roles played by this brain structure.     

Approaches to Prevent Dopamine Quinone-Induced Neurotoxicity

Dopamine (DA) and its metabolites containing two hydroxyl residues exert cytotoxicity in dopaminergic neuronal cells, primarily due to the generation of highly reactive DA and DOPA quinones. Quinone formation is closely linked to other representative hypotheses such as mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, oxidative stress, and dysfunction of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity. Therefore, pathogenic effects of the DA quinone have focused on dopaminergic neuron-specific oxidative stress. Recently, various studies have demonstrated that some intrinsic molecules and several drugs exert protective effects against DA quinone-induced damage of dopaminergic neurons. In this article, we review recent studies on some neuroprotective approaches against DA quinone-induced dysfunction and/or degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Special issue article in honor of Dr. Akitane Mori.