Experimental alcoholism in rats. Effect of acute ethanol intoxication on the in vitro incorporation of ( 3 H)leucine into neuronal and glial proteins

Abstract— Ethanol administered in vivo or in vitro during incubation of brain slices was studied with respect to its effect on brain protein synthesis. In the in vivo series the rats were given a single intraperitoneal injection of ethanol 3 h before death. Slices of cerebral cortex and liver were incubated in isotonic saline media containing [³H]leucine. Amounts of free and protein-bound radioactivity were determined. Subcellular fractions and fractions enriched in neuronal perikarya and in glial cells were prepared from cortical slices subsequent to incubation, and the specific radioactivity determined for each cell type. The incorporation of [³H]leucine into brain proteins was inhibited while incorporation into liver proteins was stimulated in ethanol-treated rats. The levels of TCA-soluble radio-activity, however, did not differ between the ethanol group and the controls. In the fractionated material from cerebral cortex, the specific radioactivity in the neuronal fraction was unaffected by ethanol, while the radioactivity in the glial fraction was significantly depressed. In vitro administration of ethanol induced a non-linear response in both brain and liver, with depression of leucine incorporation into proteins of cerebral cortex at all concentrations used. When brain slices were exposed to ethanol in vitro, in concentrations corresponding to the in vivo experiments, a similar reduction of the leucine incorporation into the glial fraction was obtained. Incorporation of leucine into subcellular fractions from whole brain cortex was also investigated. The specific sensitivity of the glial fraction to ethanol is discussed in relation to the involvement of the different cell types with transport processes in the brain.     

Protein synthesis in neurons and glial cells of the developing rat brain: an in vivo study

Abstract— A technique for the isolation of pure neuronal perikarya and intact glial cells from cerebral cortex has been developed for routine use. The yield of neuronal perikarya and glial cells was greater from highly immature (5–10 days) rat cerebral cortex than from the cortex of older rats (18–43 days). The perikarya/glia yield ratio decreased with age indicating that, as the glial population matured, the procedure succeeded in isolating a gradually smaller proportion of the existing neurons. The perikarya/glia ratio was highest for the 5-day-old cortex in which no mature glial cells could be identified. After a 10-min pulse in vivo of intrathecally injected [¹⁴C]phenylalanine, the specific radioactivity of the neuronal proteins was higher than that of the glial proteins in the 5-, 10- and 18-day-old rat but was lower in the 43-day-old rat. The values for absolute specific radioactivity of the ¹⁴C-labelled proteins in both cell types were greater, the younger the brain. The ¹⁴C-labelling of neuronal and glial proteins in the 18-day-old rat was assessed in vivo as a function of time by determining the incorporation of [¹⁴C]phenylalanine into such proteins at 5, 10, 20 and 45 min after administration of the amino acid. The rate of incorporation of [¹⁴C]phenylalanine into the glial cells was faster than into the neurons since higher specific radioactivities of the glial proteins could be achieved at earlier times. Also, a biphasic pattern of ¹⁴C-labelling of the glial proteins was noted, suggesting, perhaps, a sequential involvement of the oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. Homogenates of prelabelled neuronal perikarya were fractionated into the nuclear, mitochondrial microsomal and soluble cell sap fractions. In the 18-day-old cerebral cortex, the proteins of the microsomal fraction exhibited the highest specific radioactivity at the end of 10 min, whereas by 20 min proteins of the mitochondrial fraction were most highly labelled. The specific radioactivity of the nuclear proteins increased over the entire 45-min experimental period. On the contrary, the proteins of the soluble cell sap, in which the specific radioactivity was at all times by far the lowest, were maximally labelled by 5 min. Examination of the labelling of the neuronal subcellular fractions as a function of age revealed that at 10 min after administration of [¹⁴C]phenylalanine, the specific radioactivities of all ¹⁴C-labelled proteins were highest in the youngest (5-day-old) neurons. The proteins of the microsomal fraction were most rapidly labelled at all ages. During this interval the proteins of the soluble cell sap were only moderately labelled in the 5-day-old neurons and were totally unlabelled in the 43-day-old neurons, indicating age-dependent differences in the rate of utilization of the amino acid precursor by the neurons.     

AMINO ACID INCORPORATION IN VITRO INTO PROTEIN OF NEURONAL AND GLIAL CELL-ENRICHED FRACTIONS

Slices of rabbit cerebral cortex were incubated in the presence of labelled amino acids. Following incubation, neuron- and gliaenriched fractions were obtained by density gradient centrifugation and the TCA-insoluble radioactivity determined. The protein-bound radioactivity was five to six times higher in the neuronal-enriched fraction than in the glial-enriched fraction after incubation with tritiated leucine. The neuronal fraction incorporated also a number of other amino acids to a higher extent than the glial fraction (neuron/glia ratio 2·5-6). A definite dependence of incorporation on the rate of oxygenation was demonstrated. The suppression of amino acid incorporation was more marked for the neuronal fraction than for the glial fraction during incubation in relative hypoxia. An increase of potassium concentration in the incubation medium enhanced the amino acid incorporation in both fractions. Low sodium levels decreased the incorporation. Puromycin inhibited incorporation to approximately 30 per cent of control for both fractions. Addition of cycloheximide and dinitrophenol resulted in greater inhibition of incorporation in the neuronal fraction than in the neuroglial fraction. Actinomycin D did not markedly affect the incorporation in any fraction. These results are discussed in relation to in vivo and in in vitro differences for transport and incorporation of amino acids.     

大鼠局灶性脑缺血后缺血边缘区NG_2细胞的表达

目的观察局灶性脑缺血后缺血边缘区海马和皮层NG2细胞的动态表达,探讨其在脑缺血神经损伤与修复过程中所起的作用。方法将大鼠随机分为假手术组(sham)和脑缺血再灌注组,脑缺血再灌注组采用线栓法制备大鼠大脑中动脉阻塞再灌流模型(MCAO),假手术组不插入线栓,采用免疫荧光组织化学法结合共聚焦显微镜成像观察sham组及脑缺血后3d,7d,30d不同时间点缺血边缘区的海马CA1区和皮层区NG2的动态表达情况。结果脑缺血再灌注后缺血边缘区海马和皮层NG2胶质细胞表达增加,缺血后7d最明显。结论脑缺血后缺血边缘区存在NG2细胞的增生和形态变化可能与脑缺血后损伤修复密切相关。     

Influence of Synchronized Sleep on the Biosynthesis of RNA in Neuronal and Mixed Fractions Isolated from Rabbit Cerebral Cortex

Abstract: Adult male rabbits implanted with dural electrodes were injected intraventricularly with [³H]orotate and killed 1 h later. During the period of incorporation they were left undisturbed while their EEG activity was continuously monitored. In the fraction of neuronal perikarya prepared from cerebral cortex by a method developed by Satake and Abe in 1966, the relative content of radioactive RNA of the nuclear particulate showed a twofold increase in the transition from 0 to 100% synchronization. On the other hand, a slight but significant decline was observed in the corresponding cytoplasmic compartment. A marked increase in the relative content of radioactive RNA was similarly observed in the nuclear particulate prepared from the mixed cellular fraction. The corresponding cytoplasmic compartment showed a nonsignificant increase. These results indicate that during sleep neuronal nuclei accumulate newly synthesized RNA (presumably hnRNA) at a faster rate. Under the same conditions the process of RNA transfer to the cytoplasm (presumably rRNA) may be reduced. These effects may be only partly shared by other cerebral cells.     

SUB-CELLULAR LOCALISATION OF ENHANCED LYSINE INCORPORATION INTO CEREBRAL CORTEX PROTEINS IN DARK-REARED AND LIGHT-EXPOSED RATS

Incorporation of lysine into acid-insoluble material from subcellular fractions of rat cerebral cortex has been studied using double and single-labelling techniques, in littermates reared for 50 days in the dark and then dark-maintained or light-exposed for 1 h. When light-exposed animals were compared to dark controls the only subcellular fraction from the whole cortex in which lysine incorporation shows a significant elevation (168%, P < 0.05) was located in the ribosomal pellet of the cerebral cortex. A similar comparison of subcellular fractions from visual and motor cortices showed that the elevation was again in the ribosomes and confined to visual cortex only. Motor cortex of light-exposed animals showed a small depression of incorporation in ribosomes as compared to dark controls. Sub-fractionation of nuclei from whole cortex preparations showed varying, but non-significant elevations in light-exposed animals in all but the histone fraction in which there was negligible incorporation of precursor. It is concluded that enhancement of incorporation of precursor into proteins of the cerebral cortex, which accompanies first exposure to light, is a complex response. At exposure for 1 h it involves a number of particular protein species located in the visual cortex, a major proportion of which are ribosomally bound.     

INHIBITION OF ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE IN THE BRAIN AND DIAPHRAGM OF RATS BY A TERTIARY ORGANOPHOSPHOROUS ANTICHOLINESTERASE AND ITS QUATERNARY ANALOGUE; IN VIVO AND IN VITRO STUDIES

Abstract— Pinacolyl S -(2-dimethylaminoethyl)methylphosphonothioate (compound I) and its quaternary analogue (compound II), are potent anticholinesterases, that form a very stable phosphonylated AChE and differ in their in vitro anticholinesterase potency by a factor of two, but have widely differing lipid solubilities.
In vitro , compound I diffused through a cerebral cortex slice when applied to the intact surface at twelve times the rate of compound II and through a diaphragm segment at four times the rate. When applied to the intact surface of a cerebral cortex slice or a diaphragm segment for 10 min, compound I gained access to AChE sites more readily than compound II but the difference was much less than the difference in their lipid solubilities. There was no discontinuity in the percentage AChE inhibition versus logarithm of the concentration of compound II, indicating that there was no clear separation of AChE into two fractions which differed greatly in their accessibility to quaternary compounds. Both compounds gained access to AChE sites in cerebral cortex slices more readily than in diaphragm segments.
In vivo , the peak plasma levels and the rates of removal from the plasma of free inhibitor were similar for both compounds, given subcutaneously in equimolar amounts. Compound I in high doses inhibited over 90 per cent of the AChE in the cerebral cortex and the diaphragm; compound II even in lethal doses produced only marginal inhibition of AChE in the cerebral cortex and only 50–60 per cent inhibition of AChE in the diaphragm.
These results indicate that the in vivo distribution of quaternary compounds is different from that observed in vitro . The implications of this are discussed.     

Double labelling study of the spreading depression effect on the incorporation of labelled leucine into the proteins of the brain mitochondrial subfractions

T opical application of potassium chloride solutions (above 0·25 M) as well as some other agents onto the surface of the brain cortex provokes typical changes in the basic performance of the brain. Serious impairment of learning as well as depression of spontaneous activity, depolarization of the cortical cells, disappearance of the evoked responses, changes in unit activity and alteration of energy metabolism are among the detectable features of this phenomenon called cortical spreading depression (CSD) by its discoverer LEÃ (1944). For reviews on CSD see M arshall (1959); B urést (1962); O chs (1962). The inhibitory effect of CSD on the incorporation of the labelled amino acids into the proteins of the rat cerebral cortex has been reported (R uščák 1964; B ennett and E delman , 1969; K řivánek , 1969, 1970) and the distribution of the effect among the crude subcellular fractions was studied by K řivánek (1970). Possible involvement of macromolecules, particularly proteins in memory formation and storage has been claimed. It was tempting to see whether the proteins of some mitochondrial subfractions namely nerve endings particles and pure mitochondria, could reveal a differential susceptibility to the potassium action which, in vivo , induces such profound changes in the brain cortex function.     

CALCIUM METABOLISM IN ISOLATED BRAIN CELLS AND SUBCELLULAR FRACTIONS

Abstract— The accumulation of calcium ions by brain mitochondria and microsomes and by fractions containing neuronal or glial cells has been studied in vitro with techniques involving ⁴⁵Ca and ultramicro-flame photometry. ATP and substrate-supported calcium accumulation by brain mitochondria was of the same magnitude as for mitochondria from other organs. Brain microsomes accumulated calcium approximately 15 times less than brain mitochondria. Variations in Na⁺/K⁺ ratios and in ATP/ADP ratios had a more marked influence on microsomal uptake than on mitochondrial uptake. The passive Ca²⁺ binding by glial cells was higher than neuronal perikarya and synaptosomes. Also the calcium accumulation ability in cell suspensions was slightly higher for glial cells as compared to neuronal perikarya. The calcium uptake by glial cells was stimulated by high external K⁺ concentration, which also was the case for nerve endings. The uptake in neuronal perikarya was unaffected by variations in K⁺ concentration. A comparison between neuronal and glial mitochondria showed that both reach a steady state level of similar magnitude, but that the rate of initial accumulation was greater for glial mitochondria. A high glial calcium accumulation was also observed for the microsomal fraction.     

Transport of tryptophan and tyrosine in rat brain slices in the presence of lithium

Slices from rat cerebral cortex, brain stem, and cerebellum were incubated in media in which 1, 10, or 100 mmol/liter NaCl had been replaced by equimolar amounts of LiCl. The initial influx fo tryptophan and tyrosine into the slices diminished in the lithium-containing media. The lithium-induced inhibition was not competitive. The equilibrium accumulation of the amino acids was also less in the presence of LiCl. The incorporation of tryptophan and tyrosine into the proteins of the slices was inhibited by lithium. There were no clear differences between the brain areas studied. It has been suggested earlier that a lithium treatment enhances thesin vivo cerebral uptake of these aromatic amino acids. The present results show that such a possible increase in uptake is not a direct effect of lithium ions on cell membranes.     

TRANSFER RNA AND THE REGULATION OF PROTEIN SYNTHESIS IN RAT CEREBRAL CORTEX DURING NEURAL DEVELOPMENT

Protein synthesis was measured in ribosomal systems derived from the cerebral cortex of 5-and 35-day-old rats. Under optimal conditions incorporation of radioactive leucine per mg ribosomal protein was four times higher with ribosomes from the younger animals than with ribosomes from the 35-day-old rats. This suggests that a decrease in the rate of protein synthesis occurs during neural development. Both ribosomes and the pH enzyme fraction from the cerebral cortex of 35-day-old rats had lower activities than preparations from the younger rats. Cerebral cortical ribosomes from 35-day-old animals had a lower polyribosome content than similar preparations from 5-day-old rats. A three-fold higher requirement for the pH 5 enzyme fraction was observed with the ribosomal system from 5-day-old rats, an observation which correlated with the yields of pH 5 enzyme and ribosomal protein from the younger tissue. The nature of the changes in the composition of the pH 5 enzyme fraction was investigated. Methylated albumin kiesselguhr (MAK) and Sephadex G-75 column chromatography showed that RNA from the pH 5 enzyme fraction was heterogeneous, containing tRNA, rRNA, and a small molecular weight RNA. This latter RNA, perhaps a degradation product of rRNA, comprised the greatest portion of RNA from the pH 5 enzyme fraction of cerebral cortex. The data obtained with MAK chromatography were used to estimate the total tRNA content of the cerebral cortex, with no age-related differences being observed. Since evidence of RNA degradation was seen, tRNA was also isolated by phenol extraction of whole cerebral cortex in the presence of bentonite. Purification of tRNA by NaCl and isopropanol fractionation gave preparations with no detectable rRNA or small molecular weight RNA. With this purification method, the tRNA yield was greater than estimated by the MAK method, demonstrating that losses of tRNA occurred during the cell fractionation steps. With the purification method 1.6 times more tRNA was obtained from the cerebral cortex of 5-day-old animals than from the older tissue. This higher level of tRNA in the younger, more active tissue appeared to involve all tRNA species, since in vitro aminoacyiation studies revealed nearly identical acceptance values for 18 individual amino acids. These results suggest that the rate of protein synthesis in cerebral cortex is regulated in part by the total amount of tRNA present to translate the higher level of polysome-bound mRNA.     

Neuronal Ca2+-activated K+ channels limit brain infarction and promote survival

Neuronal calcium-activated potassium channels of the BK type are activated by membrane depolarization and intracellular Ca(2+) ions. It has been suggested that these channels may play a key neuroprotective role during and after brain ischemia, but this hypothesis has so far not been tested by selective BK-channel manipulations in vivo. To elucidate the in vivo contribution of neuronal BK channels in acute focal cerebral ischemia, we performed middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in mice lacking BK channels (homozygous mice lacking the BK channel alpha subunit, BK(-/-)). MCAO was performed in BK(-/-) and WT mice for 90 minutes followed by a 7-hour-reperfusion period. Coronal 1 mm thick sections were stained with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride to reveal the infarction area. We found that transient focal cerebral ischemia by MCAO produced larger infarct volume, more severe neurological deficits, and higher post-ischemic mortality in BK(-/-) mice compared to WT littermates. However, the regional cerebral blood flow was not significantly different between genotypes as measured by Laser Doppler (LD) flowmetry pre-ischemically, intra-ischemically, and post-ischemically, suggesting that the different impact of MCAO in BK(-/-) vs. WT was not due to vascular BK channels. Furthermore, when NMDA was injected intracerebrally in non-ischemic mice, NMDA-induced neurotoxicity was found to be larger in BK(-/-) mice compared to WT. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings from CA1 pyramidal cells in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures revealed that BK channels contribute to rapid action potential repolarization, as previously found in acute slices. When these cultures were exposed to ischemia-like conditions this induced significantly more neuronal death in BK(-/-) than in WT cultures. These results indicate that neuronal BK channels are important for protection against ischemic brain damage.     

INTERACTION OF CATECHOLAMINE AND AMINO ACID METABOLISM IN BRAIN: EFFECT OF PARGYLINE AND l-DOPA

Abstract— The combination of l -DOPA and pargyline caused a decrease in level of aspartate and an increase in that of glutamine in vivo in cerebral cortex, cerebellum, brain stem, hypothalamus, neostriatum and cervical cord of rat. There was also a decreased incorporation of radioactivity from [1-¹⁴C]acetate into amino acids in vivo , most notably in cerebellum and brain stem. The labelling of glutamine was especially affected. In addition, cortical slices were prepared from guinea pigs which had been pretreated with pargyline. These slices were incubated with and without 1 m m l -DOPA in media containing [1-¹⁴C]acetate. Pargyline alone caused a stimulation of the labelling of glutamate and aspartate but not glutamine and GABA; the levels of aspartate and GABA were greater than in control slices. The addition of l -DOPA to slices from pargylinized animals caused a severe decrease in glutamine labelling but not in that of glutamate or aspartate; the level of glutamine was increased while that of glutamate was decreased. The results are discussed in terms of the known biochemical and morphological compartmentation of amino acids in brain. It is suggested that catecholamines, in the process of functioning as transmitters, may also function as metabolic regulators of other transmitters, e.g. amino acids, as well as of the energy required for balanced neuronal function.     

Making cortex in a dish: In vitro corticopoiesis from embryonic stem cells

The cerebral cortex is arguably the most complex structure in the mammalian brain. It develops through the coordinated generation of dozens of neuronal subtypes, but the mechanisms involved in this daunting process of cell diversification remain poorly understood. We recently described a novel pathway by which mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells, cultured in the absence of any added morphogen but in the presence of a Sonic Hedgehog inhibitor, can recapitulate the major milestones of cortical development observed in vivo. In this system cortical-like progenitors seem to follow an intrinsic pathway to generate a surprisingly diverse repertoire of neurons that display most salient features of bona fide cortical pyramidal neurons. When grafted into the cerebral cortex in vivo, these neuronal populations develop patterns of axonal projections highly similar to those of native cortical neurons. The discovery of intrinsic corticogenesis, from stem cells to cortical circuits, sheds new light on the mechanisms of neuronal specification, and may open new venues for the modelling of cortical development and diseases, and for the rational design of brain repair strategies.     

IN VIVO INHIBITION OF RAT BRAIN PROTEIN SYNTHESIS BY d-AMPHETAMINE

Abstract— Between 1 and 4 h after rats received a single injection of d-amphetamine (15 mg/kg)(when brain polysomes are known to be disaggregated), the in vivo incorporation of [¹⁴C]lysine into trichloroacetic acid-precipitable brain protein was reduced by 28–48%. Incorporation of the ¹⁴C label into the protein present in a 100,000 g supernatant extract of whole brain was similarly reduced (by 44%). Amphetamine administration suppressed protein synthesis in rat cerebral cortex, cerebellum, hypothalamus, striatum, and brainstem to an equivalent extent. The drug did not significantly affect lysine pool sizes measured in these brain regions; thus the reduced incorporation of labeled lysine was not the result of an isotope dilution effect. We therefore conclude that the brain polysome disaggregation resulting from amphetamine administration is associated with decreased in vivo synthesis of some brain proteins.     

NEURONAL AND GLIAL SYSTEMS FOR γ-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID METABOLISM

—Bulk prepared neuronal perikarya, nerve endings and glial cells have been used to study amino acid concentrations and GABA metabolism in vitro. All amino acids were more concentrated in synaptosomes and glial cells than in neuronal perikarya. Cell specificity was found with respect to the relative distribution of some amino acids. Glutamate decarboxylase activity was considerably higher in synaptosomes than in glial cells. The inhibitory effect of amino-oxyacetic acid on glutamate decarboxylase activity differed between synaptosomes and glial cells. γ-Aminobutyric acid-α-ketoglutarate transaminase had the highest activity in the glial cell fraction; the inhibition of amino-oxyacetic acid differed between glial and neuronal material. The metabolism of exogenous GABA just accumulated by a cell showed similar time characteristics in neuronal and glial material.     

Distribution of FMRFamide-like immunoreactivity in the central nervous system of the Formosan monkey (Macaca cyclopsis)

The distribution of FMRFamide-like immunoreactivity in the central nervous system of the Formosan monkey (Macaca cyclopsis) was investigated employing immunohistochemical techniques. FMRFamide-containing cells were found to be widely distributed throughout the forebrain. Principal densities of FMRFamide neuronal perikarya were observed in the following areas: the amygdaloid complex, the olfactory tubercle, the cerebral cortex, the basal ganglia, the septum, the caudate-putamen and the arcuate nucleus. A large number of immunoreactive fibers were observed in areas ranging from the cerebral cortex to the spinal cord, and were noted in the following locations: the preoptic area, the tuberal and posterior hypothalamic areas, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, the nuclei of the spinal trigeminal nerve, the hypoglossal nucleus, the nucleus of the solitary tract, and the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. The results generally parallel those described in the rat and guinea pig.     

Distribution and origins of VIP-immunoreactive nerves in the cephalic circulation of the cat

VIP-immunoreactive (IR) nerves were visualized in whole mounts and sections of cephalic arteries and cranial nerves of cats with indirect immunofluorescence. Perivascular VIP-IR nerves were very widely distributed in arteries and arterioles supplying glands, muscles and mucous membranes of the face. Within the cerebral circulation, perivascular VIP-IR nerves were most abundant in the Circle of Willis and the proximal portions of the major cerebral arteries and their proximal branches supplying the rostral brain stem and ventral areas of the cerebral cortex. VIP-IR nerves were absent from arterial branches supplying the posterior brain stem, cerebellum and dorsal cerebral cortex. Cerebral perivascular VIP-IR nerves probably arise from VIP-IR perikarya within microganglia found in the cavernous plexus and external rete. Extracerebral perivascular VIP-IR nerves probably arise from VIP-IR perikarya in microganglia associated with the tympanic plexus, chorda tympani, lingual nerve and Vidian nerve as well as from cells in the otic, sphenopalatine, submandibular and sublingual ganglia. It seems likely, therefore, that each major segment of the cephalic circulation is supplied by local VIP-IR neurons.     

Granzyme B-Induced Neurotoxicity Is Mediated via Activation of PAR-1 Receptor and Kv1.3 Channel

Increasing evidence supports a critical role of T cells in neurodegeneration associated with acute and subacute brain inflammatory disorders. Granzyme B (GrB), released by activated T cells, is a cytotoxic proteinase which may induce perforin-independent neurotoxicity. Here, we studied the mechanism of perforin-independent GrB toxicity by treating primary cultured human neuronal cells with recombinant GrB. GrBactivated the protease-activated receptor (PAR)-1 receptor on the neuronal cell surface leading to decreased intracellular cyclic AMP levels. This was followed by increased expression and translocation of the voltage gated potassium channel, Kv1.3 to the neuronal cell membrane. Similar expression of Kv1.3 was also seen in neurons of the cerebral cortex adjacent to active inflammatory lesions in patients with multiple sclerosis. Kv1.3 expression was followed by activation of Notch-1 resulting in neurotoxicity. Blocking PAR-1, Kv1.3 or Notch-1 activation using specific pharmacological inhibitors or siRNAs prevented GrB-induced neurotoxicity. Furthermore, clofazimine protected against GrB-induced neurotoxicity in rat hippocampus, in vivo. These observations indicate that GrB released from T cells induced neurotoxicity by interacting with the membrane bound Gi-coupled PAR-1 receptor and subsequently activated Kv1.3 and Notch-1. These pathways provide novel targets to treat T cell-mediated neuroinflammatory disorders. Kv1.3 is of particular interest since it is expressed on the cell surface, only under pathological circumstances, and early in the cascade of events making it an attractive therapeutic target.     

Characterization and identification of Sox2+ radial glia cells derived from rat embryonic cerebral cortex

During the central nervous system (CNS) development, radial glia cells (RGCs) play at least two essential roles, they contribute to neuronal production and the subsequent guidance of neuronal migration, whereas its precise distribution and contribution to cerebral cortex remains less understood. In this research, we used Vimentin as an astroglial marker and Sox2 as a neural progenitor marker to identify and investigate RGCs in rat cerebral cortex at embryonic day (E) 16.5. We found that the Sox2+ progenitor cells localized in the germinal zone (GZ) of E16.5 cerebral cortex, ~95% Sox2+ cells co-localized with Vimentin+ or Nestin+ radial processes which extended to the pial surface across the cortical plate (CP). In vitro, we obtained RG-like cells from E16.5 cerebral cortex on adherent conditions, these Sox2+ Radial glia (RG)-like cells shared some properties with RGCs in vivo, and these Sox2+ RG-like cells could differentiate into astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and presented the radial glia—neuron lineage differentiation ability. Taken together, we identified and investigated some characterizations and properties of Sox2+ RGCs derived from E16.5 cerebral cortex, we suggested that the embryonic Sox2+ progenitor cells which located in the cortical GZ were mainly composed of Sox2+ RGCs, and the cortex-derived Sox2+ RG-like cells displayed the radial glia—neuron lineage differentiation ability as neuronal progenitors in vitro.