Docosahexaenoic acid promotes neurite growth in hippocampal neurons

Docosahexanoic acid (22:6n-3; DHA) deficiency during development is associated with impairment in learning and memory, suggesting an important role of DHA in neuronal development. Here we provide evidence that DHA promotes neuronal differentiation in rat embryonic hippocampal primary cultures. DHA deficiency in vitro was spontaneously induced by culturing hippocampal cells in chemically defined medium. DHA supplementation improved DHA levels to values observed in freshly isolated hippocampus. We found that DHA supplementation in culture increased the population of neurons with longer neurite length per neuron and with higher number of branches. However, supplementation with arachidonic, oleic or docosapentaenoic acid did not have any effect, indicating specificity of the DHA action on neurite growth. Furthermore, hippocampal cultures obtained from n-3 fatty acid deficient animals contained a lower DHA level and a neuronal population with shorter neurite length per neuron in comparison to those obtained from animals with adequate n-3 fatty acids. DHA supplementation to the deficient group recovered the neurite length to the level similar to n-3 fatty acid adequate cultures. Our data demonstrates that DHA uniquely promotes neurite growth in hippocampal neurons. Inadequate neurite development due to DHA deficiency may contribute to the cognitive impairment associated with n-3 fatty acid deficiency.     

Nerve growth factor-induced p75-mediated death of cultured hippocampal neurons is age-dependent and transduced through ceramide generated by neutral sphingomyelinase.

Binding of nerve growth factor (NGF) to the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75) in cultured hippocampal neurons has been reported to cause seemingly contrasting effects, namely ceramide-dependent axonal outgrowth of freshly plated neurons, versus Jun kinase (Jnk)-dependent cell death in older neurons. We now show that the apoptotic effects of NGF in hippocampal neurons are observed only from the 2nd day of culture onward. This switch in the effect of NGF is correlated with an increase in p75 expression levels and increasing levels of ceramide generation as the cultures mature. NGF application to neuronal cultures from p75(exonIII-/-) mice had no effect on ceramide levels and did not affect neuronal viability. The neutral sphingomyelinase inhibitor, scyphostatin, inhibited NGF-induced ceramide generation and neuronal death, whereas hippocampal neurons cultured from acid sphingomyelinase(-/-) mice were as susceptible to NGF-induced death as wild type neurons. The acid ceramidase inhibitor, (1S,2R)-d-erythro-2-(N-myristoylamino)-1-phenyl-1-propanol, enhanced cell death, supporting a role for ceramide itself and not a downstream lipid metabolite. Finally, scyphostatin inhibited NGF-induced Jnk phosphorylation in hippocampal neurons. These data indicate an initiating role of ceramide generated by neutral sphingomyelinase in the diverse neuronal responses induced by binding of neurotrophins to p75.     

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 are involved in both excitotoxin-induced neurodegeneration and regeneration

Intrahippocamal injections of kainic acid (KA) significantly increase the expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) in the ipsilateral hippocampus at 2-4 h and 21-45 days post-administration, suggesting the possible involvement of these chemokines in both neurodegenerative and regenerative processes. To examine the possible role of these chemokines on neuronal cell death, hippocampal neurons were incubated with either MCP-1 or MIP-2 in vitro and examined to assess the effects on neuronal cell viability. These treatments resulted in significant neuronal apoptosis that could be abrogated by prior treatment with the caspase-1 inhibitor, Z-VAD-FMK, the caspase-3 inhibitor, Z-DEVD-FMK, the Galphai inhibitor, pertussis toxin, or the MAO-B inhibitor, (-)deprenyl. Furthermore, this chemokine apoptotic effect could also be observed in vivo as intrahippocampal injections of MCP-1 or MIP-2 resulted in the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons, thus supporting a direct role of these chemokines in neuronal death. In contrast, immunohistological analysis of kainic acid lesions on days 21-45 revealed significant expression of MCP-1 and MIP-2 associated with reactive astrocytes and macrophages, respectively, with no apoptotic populations being observed. These results suggested that these chemokines might also mediate distinct biological effects on local microenvironmental cell populations at various stages post truama and during cellular repair. To address this possibility, astrocyte were cultured in the presence or absence of these chemokines and examined by microarray analysis for effects on astrocytes gene expression. A number of genes encoding proteins associated with inflammation, cellular signaling, differentiation, and repair were directly modulated by chemokine treatment. More specifically, the RNA and protein expression of the neurotrophic factor, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), was found to be significantly increased upon culture with MCP-1 and MIP-2. Conditioned media derived from chemokine-stimulated astrocytes also facilitated bFGF-dependent neuronal cell differentiation and promoted survival of H19-7 neurons in vitro, suggesting a possible role for chemokine-activated astrocytes as a source of trophic support. Taken together, these data support possible autocrine and paracrine roles for MCP-1 and MIP-2 in both the "death and life" of hippocampal neurons following CNS injury.     

Apoptosis of Retinal Photoreceptors During Development In Vitro: Protective Effect of Docosahexaenoic Acid

Abstract: When rat retinal cells are cultured in a serum-free medium, the photoreceptor cells start dying after 7 days. The addition of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to the cultures prevents the selective death of photoreceptors. Here it is shown that, unlike other retinal neurons, photoreceptors die through an apoptotic pathway. Hallmarks of apoptosis, such as nuclear fragmentation and condensation and DNA cleavage forming a ladder pattern on an agarose gel, were observed. The timing and high selectivity of the triggering of photoreceptor cell apoptosis suggest the existence of a programmed cell death. Compared with other fatty acids, DHA not only was the most effective in promoting photoreceptor survival, but also the only one to decrease the number of apoptotic nuclei. The results suggest that DHA is important among the factors preventing apoptosis of photoreceptors in the developing retina. A limitation in the availability of this fatty acid might trigger apoptosis as a result of the failure to develop functional photoreceptor outer segments.     

Inhibition of Neuronal Apoptosis by a Metalloporphyrin Superoxide Dismutase Mimic

Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine whether free radicals play a pathogenic role in neuronal apoptosis. The ability of Mn(III) tetrakis(benzoic acid) porphyrin (MnTBAP), a superoxide dismutase mimic, to inhibit staurosporine-induced neuronal apoptosis was tested in mixed cerebrocortical cultures. Staurosporine produced concentration-dependent cell death that was markedly inhibited by MnTBAP. Immunocytochemical analyses of cultures for neuron- and astrocyte-specific markers revealed that high concentrations of staurosporine induced the death of both neurons and astrocytes; both cell types were protected by MnTBAP. A less active congener of MnTBAP failed to protect cells against staurosporine-induced apoptosis. MnTBAP also protected cortical cultures against ceramide-induced apoptosis. These results support a role for oxidative stress in neuronal apoptosis.     

过量皮质酮致原代培养的大鼠海马神经元死亡方式的研究

目的和方法：以体外原代培养的大鼠海马神经元为研究对象,采用原位染色的方法,对不同剂量的皮质酮（CORT）致海马神经元死亡的方式进行研究。结果：在CORT作用下,海马神经元不仅会发生快速的坏死,而且还会发生慢性的凋亡;并且,随着CORT剂量增大和作用时间延长,海马神经元坏死和凋亡的发生率会随之增高。结论：海马神经细胞坏死和凋亡的发生,可能与CORT抑制神经元能量代谢的程度和增高神经元对谷氨酸神经毒性的敏感性有关。     

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide is up-regulated in cortical pyramidal cells after focal ischemia and protects neurons from mild hypoxic/ischemic damage

The protective effect of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) in stroke models is poorly understood. We studied patterns of PACAP, vasoactive intestinal peptide, and the PACAP-selective receptor PAC1 after middle cerebral artery occlusion and neuroprotection by PACAP in cortical cultures exposed to oxygen/glucose deprivation (OGD). Within hours, focal ischemia caused a massive, NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-dependent up-regulation of PACAP in cortical pyramidal cells. PACAP expression dropped below the control level after 2 days and was normalized after 4 days. Vasoactive intestinal peptide expression was regulated oppositely to that of PACAP. PAC1 mRNA showed ubiquitous expression in neurons and astrocytes with minor changes after ischemia. In cultured cortical neurons PACAP27 strongly activated Erk1/2 at low and p38 MAP kinase at higher nanomolar concentrations via PAC1. In astrocyte cultures, effects of PACAP27 on Erk1/2 and p38 were weak. During OGD, neurons showed severely reduced Erk1/2 activity and dephosphorylation of Erk1/2-regulated Ser112 of pro-apoptotic Bad. PACAP27 stimulation counteracted Erk1/2 inactivation and Bad dephosphorylation during short-term OGD but was ineffective after expanded OGD. Consistently, PACAP27 caused MEK-dependent neuroprotection during mild but not severe hypoxic/ischemic stress. While PACAP27 protected neurons at 1–5 nmol/L, full PAC1 activation by 100 nmol/L PACAP exaggerated hypoxic/ischemic damage. PACAP27 stimulation of astrocytes increased the production of Akt-activating factors and conferred ischemic tolerance to neurons. Thus, ischemia-induced PACAP may act via neuronal and astroglial PAC1. PACAP confers protection to ischemic neurons by maintaining Erk1/2 signaling via neuronal PAC1 and by increasing neuroprotective factor production via astroglial PAC1.     

钾通道在培养大鼠海马神经元凋亡性容积减少中的作用

为探讨钾通道参与神经元凋亡的可能机制,在星形孢菌素（STS)诱导的培养海马神经元凋亡模型上,研究了凋亡时神经细胞容积的动态变化及钾通道在其中的作用.实验结果显示,钾通道阻断剂四乙铵或升高细胞外K⁺均能够明显抑制STS诱导的神经元凋亡,并且大电导钙激活钾通道（BK）选择性阻断剂iberiotoxin和paxilline具有同样程度的抗细胞凋亡作用,表明钾通道（可能主要是BK通道）参与了STS诱导的培养海马神经元凋亡.在STS诱导神经元凋亡的早期就出现了细胞容积的显著减少,而钾通道阻断剂或升高细胞外K⁺均可阻断该细胞容积减少.研究结果提示细胞内钾离子的外流可能参与了凋亡性细胞容积减少,这也可能是钾通道介导细胞凋亡的重要机制之一.     

Identification of cytotoxic mediators and their putative role in the signaling pathways during docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-induced apoptosis of cancer cells

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an important w-3 fatty acid exhibits differential behavior in cancer cells of neural origin when compared to that in normal healthy astrocytes. Treatment of C6 glioma and SH-SY5Y cell lines and primary astrocytes, representing the neoplastic cells and normal healthy cells respectively, with 100 µM DHA for 24 h showed significant loss of cell viability in the both the cancer cells as determined by MTT assay, whereas the primary astrocytes cultures were unaffected. Such loss of cell viability was due to apoptosis as confirmed by TUNEL staining and caspase-3 activation in cancer cells. Proteomic approach, employing 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE), difference gel electrophoresis (DIGE), and MALDI-TOF-TOF analysis identified six proteins which unlike in the astrocytes, were differently altered in the cancer cells upon exposure to DHA, suggesting their putative contribution in causing apoptosis in these cells. Of these, annexin A2, calumenin, pyruvate kinase M2 isoform, 14-3-3ζ were downregulated while aldo keto reductase-1B8 (AKR1B8) and glutathione–S-transferase P1 subunit (GSTP1) showed upregulation by DHA in the cancer cells. siRNA-mediated knockdown of AKR1B8 and GSTP1 inhibit DHA-induced apoptosis confirming their role in apoptotic process. Furthermore, western blot analysis identified upregulation of PPARα and the MAP kinases, JNK and p38 as well as increased ROS production selectively in the cell lines. Results suggest that DHA selectively induces apoptosis in the neural cell lines by regulating the expression of the above proteins to activate multiple apoptotic pathways which in association with excess ROS and activated MAPKs promote cell death.     

Intracellular ascorbic acid inhibits transport of glucose by neurons, but not by astrocytes

It has been demonstrated that glutamatergic activity induces ascorbic acid (AA) depletion in astrocytes. Additionally, different data indicate that AA may inhibit glucose accumulation in primary cultures of rat hippocampal neurons. Thus, our hypothesis postulates that AA released from the astrocytes during glutamatergic synaptic activity may inhibit glucose uptake by neurons. We observed that cultured neurons express the sodium-vitamin C cotransporter 2 and the facilitative glucose transporters (GLUT) 1 and 3, however, in hippocampal brain slices GLUT3 was the main transporter detected. Functional activity of GLUTs was confirmed by means of kinetic analysis using 2-deoxy-d-glucose. Therefore, we showed that AA, once accumulated inside the cell, inhibits glucose transport in both cortical and hippocampal neurons in culture. Additionally, we showed that astrocytes are not affected by AA. Using hippocampal slices, we observed that upon blockade of monocarboxylate utilization by alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate and after glucose deprivation, glucose could rescue neuronal response to electrical stimulation only if AA uptake is prevented. Finally, using a transwell system of separated neuronal and astrocytic cultures, we observed that glutamate can reduce glucose transport in neurons only in presence of AA-loaded astrocytes, suggesting the essential role of astrocyte-released AA in this effect.     

Homocysteine Induces Apoptosis of Rat Hippocampal Neurons by Inhibiting 14-3-3ε Expression and Activating Calcineurin

A high level of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) increases the risk for neurodegenerative diseases. One such disorder is Alzheimer’s disease, which involves marked neuronal apoptosis of unknown etiology. This study shows that Hcy inhibits expression of 14-3-3ε and activates calcineurin in rat hippocampal neurons in a dose-dependent manner. Calcineurin-mediated Bad dephosphorylation, which is blocked by calcineurin inhibition and Ca²⁺ chelation, causes mitochondrial translocation of Bad and apoptosis; this step in the apoptotic pathway is synergistically blocked by calcineurin inhibition and overexpression of 14-3-3ε. These findings demonstrated that calcineurin activation and downregulation of 14-3-3ε may be one of the mechanisms of Hcy-induced apoptosis of hippocampal neurons.     

Gene transfer of the Caenorhabditis elegans n-3 fatty acid desaturase inhibits neuronal apoptosis

Previous studies have shown that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) can exert an antiapoptotic effect on neurons. The present study was designed to investigate whether the Caenorhabditis elegans fat-1 gene encoding an n-3 fatty acid desaturase (an enzyme that converts n-6 PUFAs to corresponding n-3 PUFAs) can be expressed functionally in rat cortical neurons and whether its expression can change the ratio of n-6 : n-3 fatty acids in the cell membrane and exert an effect on neuronal apoptosis. Infection of primary rat cortical cultures with Ad-fat-1 resulted in high expression of the fat-1 gene. Lipid analysis indicated a decrease in the ratio of n-6 : n-3 PUFAs from 5.9 : 1 in control cells, to 1.45 : 1 in cells expressing the n-3 fatty acid desaturase. Accordingly, the levels of prostaglandin E2, an eicosanoid derived from n-6 PUFA, were significantly lower in cells infected with Ad-fat-1 when compared with control cells. Finally, there was a significant inhibition of growth factor withdrawal-induced apoptotic cell death in neurons expressing the fat-1 gene. These results demonstrate that expression of the fat-1 gene can inhibit apoptotic cell death in neurons and suggest that the change in the n-6 : n-3 fatty acid ratio may play a key role in this protective effect.     

Short-term and long-term effects of fatty acids in rat hepatoma AS-30D cells: the way to apoptosis

Arachidonic acid and, to a smaller extent, oleic acid at micromolar concentrations decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential within AS-30D rat hepatoma cells cultivated in vitro and increased cell respiration. The uncoupling effect of both fatty acids on cell respiration was partly prevented by cyclosporin A, blocker of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. Arachidonic acid increased the rate of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, while oleic acid decreased it. Both fatty acids induced apoptotic cell death of AS-30D cells, accompanied by the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to the cytosol, activation of caspase-3 and association of proapoptotic Bax protein with mitochondria; arachidonic acid being a more potent inducer than oleic acid. Trolox, a potent antioxidant, prevented ROS increase induced by arachidonic acid and protected the cells against apoptosis produced by this fatty acid. It is concluded that arachidonic and oleic acids induce apoptosis of AS-30D hepatoma cells by the mitochondrial pathway but differ in the mechanism of their action: Arachidonic acid induces apoptosis mainly by stimulating ROS production, whereas oleic acid may contribute to programmed cell death by activation of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore.     

Effects of Arachidonic Acid on Glutamate and γ-Aminobutyric Acid Uptake in Primary Cultures of Rat Cerebral Cortical Astrocytes and Neurons

The effects of arachidonic acid on glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) uptake were studied in primary cultures of astrocytes and neurons prepared from rat cerebral cortex. The uptake rates of glutamate and GABA in astrocytic cultures were 10.4 nmol/mg protein/min and 0.125 nmol/mg protein/min, respectively. The uptake rates of glutamate and GABA in neuronal cultures were 3.37 nmol/mg protein/min and 1.53 nmol/mg protein/min. Arachidonic acid inhibited glutamate uptake in both astrocytes and neurons. The inhibitory effect was observed within 10 min of incubation with arachidonic acid and reached approximately 80% within 120 min in both types of culture. The arachidonic acid effect was not only time-dependent, but also dose-related. Arachidonic acid, at concentrations of 0.015 and 0.03 mumol/mg protein, significantly inhibited glutamate uptake in neurons, whereas 20 times higher concentrations were required for astrocytes. The effects of arachidonic acid were not as deleterious on GABA uptake as on glutamate uptake in both astrocytes and neurons. In astrocytes, GABA uptake was not affected by any of the doses of arachidonic acid studied (0.015-0.6 mumol/mg protein). In neuronal cultures, GABA uptake was inhibited, but not to the same degree observed with glutamate uptake. Lower doses of arachidonic acid (0.03 and 0.015 mumol/mg protein) did not affect neuronal GABA uptake. Other polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as docosahexaenoic acid, affected amino acid uptake in a manner similar to arachidonic acid in both astrocytes and neurons. However, saturated fatty acids, such as palmitic acid, exerted no such effect. The significance of the arachidonic acid-induced inhibition of neurotransmitter uptake in cultured brain cells in various pathological states is discussed.     

Astrocyte-synthesized oleic acid behaves as a neurotrophic factor for neurons.

Unlike in the adult brain, the newborn brain specifically takes up serum albumin during the postnatal period, coinciding with the stage of maximal brain development. Here we shall summarize our knowledge about the role played by albumin in brain development. The role of this protein in brain development is intimately related to its ability to carry fatty acids. Thus, albumin stimulates oleic acid synthesis by astrocytes from the main metabolic substrates available during brain development. Astrocytes internalize albumin in vesicle-like structures by receptor-mediated endocytosis, which is followed by transcytosis, including passage through the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The presence of albumin in the ER activates the sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) and increases stearoyl-CoA 9-desaturase (SCD) mRNA, the key enzyme in oleic acid synthesis. Oleic acid released by astrocytes is used by neurons for the synthesis of phospholipids and is specifically incorporated into growth cones. In addition, oleic acid promotes axonal growth, neuronal clustering, and the expression of the axonal growth associated protein, GAP-43. All of these observations indicate neuronal differentiation. The effect of oleic acid on GAP-43 synthesis is brought about by the activation of protein kinase C. The expression of GAP-43 is significantly increased by the presence of albumin in neurons co-cultured with astrocytes, indicating that neuronal differentiation takes place by the presence of oleic acid synthesized and released by astrocytes in situ. In conclusion, during brain development the presence of albumin could play an important role by triggering the synthesis and release of oleic acid by astrocytes, thereby inducing neuronal differentiation.     

Ginkgolide B preconditioning on astrocytes promotes neuronal survival in ischemic injury via up-regulating erythropoietin secretion

Although ischemic preconditioning (IP) can provide powerful protection on brain against ischemic insult, it is rarely used in clinic to prevent the occurrence of ischemic stroke because of safety concerns. It is therefore necessary to seek the safer stimuli to initiate pharmacological preconditioning. Our previous work demonstrated that ginkgolide B (GB) could protect neurons against ischemia-induced apoptosis. Astrocytes are the most numerous cells in mammalian central nervous system and there is a close bi-directional communication between neurons and astrocytes in brain. Besides neurons, whether GB can exert the role of preconditioning on astrocytes through which to further improve neuronal survival under ischemic condition is not yet known. In the present study, primary cultured astrocytes were treated with GB for 24 h or short-term ischemia (ischemia for 3 h, as ischemic preconditioning/IP), and then cultured back to normoxia and normal medium for 24 h to induce the preconditioning response. Astrocyte-conditioned medium (ACM) was then collected and used to incubate the cultured neurons for 24 h before neurons were subjected to severe ischemia. Our results demonstrated that not only GB and IP increased astrocytic viability in ischemia, but also the conditioned medium from astrocytes treated with GB or IP increased cell viability and decreased the number of apoptosis of neurons in ischemia. We also found that GB and IP significantly stimulated astrocytes to express and secrete erythropoietin (EPO) into ACM, and the addition of anti-EPO antibody blocked the protective effect of GB or IP-treated astrocytes culture medium on neurons in ischemia. Further study of above protection revealed that ACM from astrocytes treated with GB or IP induced the inactivation of proapoptotic factor Bad by phosphorylation at serine 136 and 112 (¹³⁶p-Bad and ¹¹²p-Bad) in neurons. Together, our results suggest that GB is capable of preconditioning on astrocytes as IP and then protects neurons against ischemia-induced apoptosis, which is mediated by EPO.     

Changes in bad phosphorylation are correlated with BCR-induced apoptosis of WEHI-231 immature B cells

Signaling through the B cell antigen receptor (BCR) is a key determinant in the regulation of B cell physiology. Depending on additional factors, such as microenvironment and developmental stage, ligation of the BCR can trigger B lymphocyte activation, proliferation, or apoptosis. The regulatory mechanisms determining B cell apoptosis and survival are not completely known. Using the murine B lymphoma cell line WEHI-231 as a model system, we investigated the role of Bad phosphorylation, a pro-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family, in anti-IgM mediated apoptosis. For apoptotic analysis we focused in particular on the mitochondrial potential (deltapsi(m)) collapse which has been reported as a rate-limiting step in the BCR-induced cell death of immature B lymphocytes. Bad phosphorylation at serine 112, 136 and 155 was found in WEHI-231 cell control cultures and its hypophosphorylation on the three sites correlated with the appearance of apoptosis when cross-linking surface IgM. Furthermore, treatment of cells with specific PK inhibitors known to be involved in serine phosphorylation of Bad (LY294002 for PI3K and H-89 for PKA) mimiced or enhanced BCR-induced cell death. These results strongly suggest that regulation of Bad phosphorylation plays an active role in mediating anti-IgM-induced apoptosis of immature B cells.     

Platelet activating factor-induced neuronal apoptosis is initiated independently of its G-protein coupled PAF receptor and is inhibited by the benzoate orsellinic acid

The bioactive lipid mediator platelet activating factor (PAF) is recognized as a key effecter of neuronal apoptosis, yet it is not clear whether its G-protein coupled receptor (PAFR) initiates or prevents PAF neurotoxicity. Using PAFR-/- and congenic wild-type mice, we show that PAF triggers caspase-3/7 activity and neuronal death in PAFR-/- but not PAFR+/+ cerebellar granule neurons. Restoring receptor expression by recombinant adenoviral infection protected cells from PAF challenge. Neuronal death was not mediated by nitric oxide or N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor signaling given that N-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester and MK-801 did not inhibit PAF-induced neuronal loss in PAFR-/- neurons. To intervene in PAFR-independent neurotoxicity, the anti-apoptotic actions of three structurally distinct PAF antagonists were compared to a panel of plant and fungal benzoic acid derivatives. We found that the PAF antagonist BN 52021 but not FR 49175 or CV 3988 inhibited PAFR-independent neurotoxicity. Orsellinic acid, a fungal-derived benzoic acid, blocked PAF-mediated neuronal apoptosis without affecting PAFR-mediated neuroprotection. These findings demonstrate that PAF can transduce apoptotic death in primary neurons independently of its G-protein coupled receptor, that PAFR activation is neuroprotective, and that orsellinic acid effectively attenuates PAFR-independent neuronal apoptosis.     

Plasmin potentiates synaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor function in hippocampal neurons through activation of protease-activated receptor-1

Protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR1) is activated by a number of serine proteases, including plasmin. Both PAR1 and plasminogen, the precursor of plasmin, are expressed in the central nervous system. In this study we examined the effects of plasmin in astrocyte and neuronal cultures as well as in hippocampal slices. We find that plasmin evokes an increase in both phosphoinositide hydrolysis (EC(50) 64 nm) and Fura-2/AM fluorescence (195 +/- 6.7% above base line, EC(50) 65 nm) in cortical cultured murine astrocytes. Plasmin also activates extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) within cultured astrocytes. The plasmin-induced rise in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) and the increase in phospho-ERK1/2 levels were diminished in PAR1(-/-) astrocytes and were blocked by 1 microm BMS-200261, a selective PAR1 antagonist. However, plasmin had no detectable effect on ERK1/2 or [Ca(2+)](i) signaling in primary cultured hippocampal neurons or in CA1 pyramidal cells in hippocampal slices. Plasmin (100-200 nm) application potentiated the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-dependent component of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents recorded from CA1 pyramidal neurons but had no effect on alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate- or gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor-mediated synaptic currents. Plasmin also increased NMDA-induced whole cell receptor currents recorded from CA1 pyramidal cells (2.5 +/- 0.3-fold potentiation over control). This effect was blocked by BMS-200261 (1 microm; 1.02 +/- 0.09-fold potentiation over control). These data suggest that plasmin may serve as an endogenous PAR1 activator that can increase [Ca(2+)](i) in astrocytes and potentiate NMDA receptor synaptic currents in CA1 pyramidal neurons.     

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Vpr induces apoptosis in human neuronal cells

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection of the central nervous system (CNS) causes AIDS dementia complex (ADC) in certain infected individuals. Recent studies have suggested that patients with ADC have an increased incidence of neuronal apoptosis leading to neuronal dropout. Of note, a higher level of the HIV-1 accessory protein Vpr has been detected in the cerebrospinal fluid of AIDS patients with neurological disorders. Moreover, extracellular Vpr has been shown to form ion channels, leading to cell death of cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Based on these previous findings, we first investigated the apoptotic effects of the HIV-1 Vpr protein on the human neuronal precursor NT2 cell line at a range of concentrations. These studies demonstrated that apoptosis induced by both Vpr and the envelope glycoprotein, gp120, occurred in a dose-dependent manner compared to protein treatment with HIV-1 integrase, maltose binding protein (MBP), and MBP-Vpr in the undifferentiated NT2 cells. For mature, differentiated neurons, apoptosis was also induced in a dose-dependent manner by both Vpr and gp120 at concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 ng/ml, as demonstrated by both the terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase (Tdt)-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling and Annexin V assays for apoptotic cell death. In order to clarify the intracellular pathways and molecular mechanisms involved in Vpr- and gp120-induced apoptosis in the NT2 cell line and differentiated mature human neurons, we then examined the cellular lysates for caspase-8 activity in these studies. Vpr and gp120 treatments exhibited a potent increase in activation of caspase-8 in both mature neurons and undifferentiated NT2 cells. This suggests that Vpr may be exerting selective cytotoxicity in a neuronal precursor cell line and in mature human neurons through the activation of caspase-8. These data represent a characterization of Vpr-induced apoptosis in human neuronal cells, and suggest that extracellular Vpr, along with other lentiviral proteins, may increase neuronal apoptosis in the CNS. Also, identification of the intracellular activation of caspase-8 in Vpr-induced apoptosis of human neuronal cells may lead to therapeutic approaches which can be used to combat HIV-1-induced neuronal apoptosis in AIDS patients with ADC.