电刺激下丘脑外侧区对大鼠胃缺血-再灌注损伤的影响

采用夹闭大鼠腹腔动脉30min,松开动脉夹血流复灌60min的胃缺血－再灌注损伤(gastric ischemia reperfusion injury,GI-RI)模型,用电和化学刺激,电损毁的方法观察了下丘脑外侧区（lateral hypothalamic area,LHA)对GI－RI的影响,并对其机制进行了初步分析,结果表明：（1）以0．2,0．4,0．6mA的电流强度刺激LHA,GI－RI均显著加重,且有强度－效应依赖关系,LHA内注射L－谷氨酸（L－Glu)后,对LI－RI的效应与电刺激相似,电损毁双侧LHA,GI－RI面积较电刺激组明显减小;（2）损毁双侧背侧迷走复合体（dorsal vagal complex,DVC)或切损毁是LHA,GI－RI面积较电刺激组明显减小;（2）损 侧背侧迷走复合体（dorsal vagal complex,DVC)或切断膈下迷走神经均能取消电刺激LHA加重GI－RI的作用。（3）电刺激LHA使缺血－再灌注（ischemia-reperfusion,I-R)的胃粘膜丙二醛（MDA）含量升高,超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性降低;（4）电刺激LHA使I－R的胃液量和总酸排出量增多,而酸度,胃蛋白酶活性和胃壁结合粘液量等无明显改变,结果提示;LHA是对GI－RI具有加重作用的中枢部位,其作用是通过DVC及迷走神经下传的,电刺激LHA加重GI－RI的作用与胃粘膜MDA含量增加,SOD活性降低,胃液量和总酸排出量增加等因素有关,而似与酸度,胃蛋白酶活性,胃壁结合粘液量等因素无关。     

肠缺血/再灌注损伤后白介素1-β水平与磷脂酶A2激活的关系

为了探讨肠缺血/再灌注损伤后IL-1β基因表达和蛋白含量变化与磷脂酶A2抑制之间的关系,采用大鼠肠缺血/再灌注损伤模型,在对照组,损伤组和磷脂酶A2抑制剂处理组动物中收集血清,肺灌洗液,腹腔灌洗液及全身重要脏器组织样品,采用放射免疫法测定IL-1β含量,并且RT-PCR法测定肺组织中IL-1β和Ⅱ型PLA2基因表达,结果表明,损伤后6h血清中IL-1β含量明显高于对照组;损伤后1和3h,腹腔注保IL-1β也明显高于对照组;损伤后肝组织中IL-1β水平有明显增加,而肺,肾、肠组织中IL-1β没有明显变化。损伤后肺灌洗液中IL-1β也明显高于对照组水平,肺组织中IL-1βmRNA表达增加,而Ⅱ型PLA2mRNA在损伤后表达反而有所下降,采用磷脂酶A2抑制剂氯喹,环氧化物酶抑制剂消炎痛,血小板活化因子受体阻断剂SR27417后,IL-1β蛋白和基因表达有不同的改变,提示肠缺血/再灌注损伤后一定时间内,肝内IL-1βmRNA表达和血中IL-1β水平明显增高,但是否与磷脂酶A2激活或其代谢产物的释放有关尚需进一步证明。     

核磁共振检测大鼠早期癫痫源性脑损伤的动态发展特征

为探讨癫痫源性脑损伤形成早期不同脑区病理改变和行为发作的动态发展特征 ,本研究对大鼠右背侧海马 (hippocampus,HPC)施加慢性强直电刺激 (6 0Hz,2s,0 .4～ 0 .6mA)诱发癫痫发作 ,1次 /d。每天记录大鼠原发性湿狗样抖动 (wetdogshakes,WEDS)频率 ,分别对大鼠施加电刺激 2、4、6、8和 10d后进行核磁共振成像 (T2 weightedmagneticresonanceimage ,T2 WI)检测 ,并对鼠脑进行了组织学切片鉴定。结果表明 :与空白对照组相比较 ,(1)施加 2d强直电刺激时 ,大鼠双侧背部侧脑室 (lateralventricle,LV)区域呈现对称性T2 WI信号绝对值增加 (n =4,左侧P =0 .0 0 18;右侧P =0 .0 0 10 ) ;施加 6d强直电刺激时 ,大鼠呈现植入电极对侧中、腹部LV区域T2 WI信号值增加 (n =5 ,P =0 .0 0 73;P =0 .0 2 49) ;施加 8d强直电刺激后 ,大鼠仅出现植入电极对侧腹部LV区域T2 WI信号值增加 (n =3,P =0 .0 34 0 ) ;施加 10d强直电刺激后 ,大鼠植入电极同侧腹部LV区域T2 WI信号值增加 (n =4,P =0 .0 10 7) ;(2 )随着强直电刺激天数增加 ,大鼠原发性WEDS频率高峰期出现在第 4个刺激日 ,然后WEDS频率下降 ,与T2 WI信号强度增加之间呈高度负相关关系 (相关系数r =- 0 .987,P <0 .0 2 ) ;(3)组织学切片鉴定 :T2 WI检测LV信号异     

Activation of BDNF mRNA and protein after seizures in hyperbaric oxygen: implications for sensitization to seizures in re-exposures

Previous studies have demonstrated that exposure to convulsive doses of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) increases sensitivity to seizures in re-exposures. Because brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is induced after a variety of seizures and increases cell excitability, it may contribute to the mechanism of sensitization. In this study, a fast induction in BDNF mRNA 2 hr after seizures and a temporary increase in BDNF protein 1 day after seizures induced by 100% O₂ at 5 atm (gauge pressure) were demonstrated in the rat cortex. To determine whether an elevation in BDNF protein level can modify sensitivity to the toxic effect of HBO, recombinant BDNF (12 g) was injected into cerebral ventricles 30 min prior to exposure. Administration of exogenous BDNF significantly shortened latent time to seizures in HBO exposures. We propose that upregulation of BDNF expression in the brain after seizures may contribute to sensitization to HBO toxicity.     

Coenzyme A and short-chain acyl-CoA species in control and ischemic rat brain

A rapid and reliable method was developed to quantify brain concentrations of coenzyme A (CoA) and short-chain acyl-CoAs having chain length 4 carbon atoms. The method employs tissue extraction and isolation using an oligonucleotide purification cartridge and quantifies concentrations by peak area analysis following high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In adult anesthetized rats subjected to 4-s high-energy microwave irradiation to stop brain metabolism, the brain concentrations of CoA, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA), acetyl-CoA, and butyryl-CoA equaled 68.7 ± 18.5, 2.7 ± 1.5, 7.6 ± 2.3, and 30.6 ± 15.9 nmol·g^–1, respectively. After 5 min of complete ischemia, the brain concentrations of CoA and HMG-CoA increased 2- and 12-fold compared to controls, whereas acetyl-CoA and butyryl-CoA concentrations did not change. Markedly elevated levels of CoA and HMG-CoA following cerebral ischemia may reflect disturbed energy metabolism and altered formation of cholesterol and isoprenoids.     

Dissecting planarian central nervous system regeneration by the expression of neural-specific genes

The planarian central nervous system (CNS) can be used as a model for studying neural regeneration in higher organisms. Despite its simple structure, recent studies have shown that the planarian CNS can be divided into several molecular and functional domains defined by the expression of different neural genes. Remarkably, a whole animal, including the molecularly complex CNS, can regenerate from a small piece of the planarian body. In this study, a collection of neural markers has been used to characterize at the molecular level how the planarian CNS is rebuilt. Planarian CNS is composed of an anterior brain and a pair of ventral nerve cords that are distinct and overlapping structures in the head region. During regeneration, 12 neural markers have been classified as early, mid-regeneration and late expression genes depending on when they are upregulated in the regenerative blastema. Interestingly, the results from this study show that the comparison of the expression patterns of different neural genes supports the view that at day one of regeneration, the new brain appears within the blastema, whereas the pre-existing ventral nerve cords remain in the old tissues. Three stages in planarian CNS regeneration are suggested.     

Characterization of nuclear gangliosides in rat brain: concentration, composition, and developmental changes

Nuclear gangliosides were characterized using two distinct fractions of large (N1) and small (N2) nuclear populations from rat brain. The ganglioside concentration of N1 nuclei from adult rat brain was 0.92 microg sialic acid/mg protein, which was about 3.8 times higher than that of N2 nuclei. N1 and N2 nuclear gangliosides showed similar compositional profiles; they contained major gangliosides of GM1, GD1a, GD1b, and GT1b, with GM3 in lesser amounts. c-Series gangliosides such as GT3, GQ1c, and GP1c were also detected in both nuclear preparations. Nuclear localization of gangliosides was confirmed by immunofluorescence with anti-GM1 antibody, cholera toxin B subunit, and c-series ganglioside-specific monoclonal antibody A2B5. Developmental changes of nuclear gangliosides were examined using rats of different ages ranging from embryonic day 14 (E14) to postnatal 7 weeks. The concentration of N1 nuclear gangliosides changed only slightly during development and did not correlate with that of whole-brain gangliosides. The developmental pattern of ganglioside composition of N1 nuclei was also distinguished from that of microsomal membranes; the ganglioside changes in N1 nuclei included reduced expression of di- and polysialogangliosides at E16 and higher proportions of GM3 at early and late stages of the period. These findings suggest that gangliosides in nuclear membranes are developmentally regulated in a distinct manner in brain cells.     

Neuropeptide Organization of the Nociceptive and Antinociceptive Brain Systems in the Cat

Using radioimmune techniques, we studied in detail the concentrations of -endorphin (-En), met- and leu-enkephalins (mE and lE, respectively), and substance P (SP) in a number of structures of the brainstem and forebrain of the cat. According to the proposed concept, these structures comprise the noci- and antinociceptive brain systems (NS and ANS). The above indices were measured in intact animals and in animals after nociceptive electrocutaneous stimulation (NECS) of the limb, stimulation of the ventrolateral zone of the midbrain central gray (vl SGC, a nociceptive midbrain structure), stimulation of the dorsolateral part of the above region and dorsal raphe nucleus (dl SGC and Rd, antinociceptive midbrain structures), and after combined stimulations (NECS preceded by conditioning stimulation of one of the above midbrain zones). We found that in the norm maximum SP concentrations were observed in the NS structures, while those of -En and mE were the highest in the hypothalamic nuclei belonging to the ANS and in its midbrain centers (dl SGC and Rd). Nociceptive ECS, stimulations of the studied midbrain zones, and combinations of these stimulations could result in specific and, in some cases, very significant (by an order of magnitude and more) shifts in the concentrations of the mentioned neuropeptides in the studied set of the central structures. After NECS and its combination with vl SGC stimulation, SP concentrations in the NS structures considerably increased, while -En and mE concentrations in the ANS components dropped. Stimulations of the dl SGC and Rd were accompanied by increases in the mE and -En levels and simultaneous drops in the SP concentrations in the ANS components; reciprocate shifts were observed within the NS. Changes in the lE level, which were related to the influences used, were less specific and mostly appeared as increases in this index in the structures of both the NS and ANS. Combinations of NECS with conditioning stimulations of the vl SGC, dl SGC, or Rd demonstrated that the latter exert significant modulatory effects on the NECS-induced shifts in the concentrations of the studied neuropeptides. Considering the obtained data, a hypothetical scheme of neuropeptide organization of the cerebral NS and ANS has been proposed. In the examined brain structures, there are neuronal populations belonging to the two main neurochemical systems. One of them is SP-ergic, while another consists of mE- and -En-ergic neurons; these systems are in antagonistic relations. Changes in the levels of mE and -En always induce the attended opposite shifts in the SP levels, and vice versa. The lE-ergic neuronal populations, which co-exist with the above neurochemical systems, are relatively nonspecifically activated by either (noci- and antinociceptive) drives, but, according to the pattern of its responses, the lE-ergic system is closer to the SP-ergic one. It is supposed that pain signals, when coming to the vl SGC, activate SP- and lE-ergic neuronal populations; later on, the posterior and lateral hypothalamic nuclei and preoptic region are involved in the transmission of the above signals. When released by the corresponding neuronal populations in the vl SGC, lE activates the key ANS structures (dl SGC and Rd), and the latter, in turn, activate other components of this system, which form its ascending compartment (ventromedial, dorsomedial, and paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei, septum, basolateral amygdala, hippocampal fields 3 and 4, and cingular cortex). In the ANS,-En and mE function as transmitters.     

Plasmid delivery in the rat brain

Neurodegenerative diseases as a class do not have effective pharmacotherapies. This is due in part to a poor understanding of the pathologies of the disease processes, and the lack of effective medications. Gene delivery is an attractive possibility for treating these diseases. For the paradigm to be effective, efficient, safe and versatile vectors are required. In this study we evaluated three plasmid delivery systems for transgene expression in the rat hippocampus. Two of these systems were designed to have enhanced intracellular biodegradability. It was hypothesized that this system would be less toxic and could increase the free (non-vector) associated plasmids within the cell, leading to increased transgene activity. Polyethylenimine (PEI) and r-AAV-2 (recombinant adeno associated virus-2) were used as positive, non-viral and viral controls respectively, in the in vivo experiments. The results from the studies indicate there is a distinct difference between the various vectors in terms of total cells transfected, type of cell transfected, and toxicity. Non-viral systems were effective at transfecting both neurons and glia cells within the hippocampus, while the r-AAV-2 transfected mainly neurons. In summary, plasmid-mediated systems are effective for transgene expression within the brain and deserve further study.     

Hypoxia induces mitochondrial DNA damage and stimulates expression of a DNA repair enzyme, the Escherichia coli MutY DNA glycosylase homolog (MYH), in vivo, in the rat brain

Hypoxia-associated, acutely reduced blood oxygenation can compromise energy metabolism, alter oxidant/antioxidant balance and damage cellular components, including DNA. We show in vivo, in the rat brain that respiratory hypoxia leads to formation of the oxidative DNA lesion, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (oh8dG), a biomarker for oxidative DNA damage and to increased expression of a DNA repair enzyme involved in protection of the genome from the mutagenic consequences of oh8dG. The enzyme is a homolog of the Escherichia coli MutY DNA glycosylase (MYH), which excises adenine residues misincorporated opposite the oxidized base, oh8dG. We have cloned a full-length rat MYH (rMYH) cDNA, which encodes 516 amino acids, and by in situ hybridization analysis obtained expression patterns of rMYH mRNA in hippocampal, cortical and cerebellar regions. Ensuing hypoxia, mitochondrial DNA damage was induced and rMYH expression strongly elevated. This is the first evidence for a regulated expression of a DNA repair enzyme in the context of respiratory hypoxia. Our findings support the premise that oxidative DNA damage is repaired in neurons and the possibility that the hypoxia-induced expression of a DNA repair enzyme in the brain represents an adaptive mechanism for protection of neuronal DNA from injurious consequences of disrupted energy metabolism and oxidant/antioxidant homeostasis.