• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.89-94
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• 2008

In order to reproduce chronic cerebral hypoperfusion as it occurs in human aging and Alzheimer's disease, we introduced permanent, bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries (BCCAO) in rats (Farkas et al, 2007). Here, we induced BCCAO in two different rat strains in order to determine whether there was a strain difference in the pathogenic response to BCCAO. Male Wistar and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (250-270 g) were subjected to BCCAO for three weeks. Kluver-Barrera and cresyl violet staining were used to evaluate white matter and gray matter damage, respectively. Wistar rats had a considerably higher mortality rate (four of 14 rats) as compared to SD rats (one of 15 rats) following BCCAO. Complete loss of pupillary light reflex occurred in all Wistar rats that survived, but loss of pupillary light reflex did not occur at all in SD rats. Moreover, BCCAO induced marked vacuolation in the optic tract of Wistar rats as compared to SD rats. In contrast, SD rats showed fewer CA1 hippocampal neurons than Wistar rats following BCCAO. These results suggest that the neuropathological process induced by BCCAO takes place in a region-specific pattern that varies according to the strain of rat involved.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.200-206
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• 2012

Induction of neurogenesis can occur in the hippocampus in response to various pathological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes that occur in endogenous neural stem cells in response to amyloid beta $(A{\beta})_{25-35}$-induced neuronal cell damage in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures. Cresyl violet staining and Fluoro-Jade B staining were used to detect neuronal cell damage and changes of mossy fiber terminals were observed by Timm's staining. The immunofl uorescence staining was used to detect the newly generated cells in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus with specific marker, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU), Ki-67, Nestin, and doublecortin (DCX). In compared to control slices, neuronal cell damage was observed and the mossy fibers were expanded to CA3 area by treatment with $A{\beta}_{25-35}$. Ki-67/Nestin- and BrdU/DCX-positive cells were detected in the SGZ. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that $A{\beta}$-induced neuronal damage results in an increase in endogenous neural stem cells in rat hippocampal slice cultures not only for gliosis but also for neurogenesis.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 1999

Overstimulation of both kainate (KA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors has been reported to induce excitatoxicity which can be characterized by neuronal damage and formation of reactive oxygen free radicals. Neuroprotective effect of melatonin against KA-induced excitotoxicity have been documented in vitro and in vivo. It is, however, not clear whether melationin is also neuroportective against excitotoxicity mediated by NMDA receptors. In the present work, we tested the in vivo protective effects of striatally infused melatonin against the oxidative stress and neuronal damage induced by the injection of KA and NMDA receptors into the rat striatum. Melatonin implants consisting of 22-gauge stainless-steel cannule with melatonin fused inside the tip were placed bilaterally in the rat brain one week prior to intrastriatal injection of glutamate receptor subtype agonists. Melatonin showed protective effects against the elevation of lipid peroxidation induced by either KA or NMDA and recovered Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase activities reduced by both KA and NMDA into the control level. Melatonin also clearly blocked both KA- and NMDA-receptor mediated neuronal damage assessed by the determination of choline acetyltransferase activity in striatal monogenages and by microscopic observation of rat brain section stained with cresyl violet. The protective effects of melatonin are comparable to those of DNQX and MK801 which are the KA- and NMDA-receptor antagonist, respectively. It is suggested that melatonin could protect against striatal oxidative damages mediated by glutamate receptors, both non-NMDA and NMDA receptors.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.413-417
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• 2000

The effect of ischemia/reperfusion-induced neuronal damage on the memory impairment were investigated using active avoidance and Morris water maze tasks in Wistar rats. Focal ischemia was induced by 1 h occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) of Wistar male rats. Reperfusion was induced by releasing the occlusion and restoring the blood circulation for 24 h. The acquisition and preservation memory tested by active avoidance showed a significant difference between the sham and ischemia/reperfusion group. The water maze acquisition performance was also significant difference between sham and ischemia/repefusion groups in both latency and moving distance. The infarction volume was increased by the ischemia/reperfusion. Furthermore, the cresyl violet staining of the ischemia/reperfusion brain showed severe neuronal damage (pyramidal cell loss) in the cortex in addition to the striatum lesion of brain. This study shows that pyramidal cell damage in the cortex lesion may be partially related to memorial disturbance in the ischemia/reperfusion brain injury.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.205-212
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• 2001

It has been proposed that nitirc oxide is involved in the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. Because superoxide production is also enhanced during reperfusion, the cytotoxic oxidant peroxynitrite could be formed, but it is not known if this occurs following global forebrain ischemia-reperfusion. We examined whether peroxynitrite generation is increased in the vulnerable regions after forebrain ischemia-reperfusion. Transient forebrain ischemia was produced in the conscious rat by four-vessel occlusion. Rats were subjected to 10 or 15 min of forebrain ischemia. Immunohistochemical method was used to detect 3-nitrotyrosine, a marker of peroxynitrite production. 3-Nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity was enhanced in the hippocampal CA1 area 3 days after reperfusion. Furthermore, in rats subjected to ischemia for 15 min, this change was also observed in the lateral striatal region and the lateral septal nucleus $2{\sim}3$ days after reperfusion. The cresyl violet staining of adjacent sections showed that neuronal cell death was induced in parallel with the nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity in the hippocampal CA1 area and the lateral striatal region. Our findings suggest that oxygen free radical accumulation and consequent peroxynitrite production play a role in neuronal death caused by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.45-56
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• 2006

Objective: Yukmijibwang-Tang(UJT) has been used for Dementia derived by deficiency of Kidney-Yin in the oriental medicine. This study was planned to examine the effects of UJT on the memory loss induced by focal brain ischemic injury in the rats. Methods : Experimental groups were divided into 4 groups ; Normal group, Control group, UJT1 group and UJT2 group. Control group were no treated after focal brain ischemic injury. UJT1 group were administered UJT 0.3 $m{\ell}/kg$ to focal brain ischemic injuried rats for 21 days, UJT2 group were administered UJT 1.2 $m{\ell}/kg$ to focal brain ischemic injuried rats for 21 days. The present author observed the number of errors on the eight-arm radial maze task, the rate of correct choice on the eight-arm radial maze task, the values of density of Cresy1 violet- stained sections in the hippocampal CA1 and the values of density of Acetlycholine Esterase (AchE)stained nuclei in the hippocampal CA1. Results : The number of errors in the Eigth-arm radial maze task was significantly decreased in UJT1 group on 1, 2, 3, 5, 6days, And it was significantly decreased in UJT2 group on 1-6days compared with control group. The rate of correct choice in the eight-arm radial maze task was significantly increased in UJT1, UJT2 group compared with control group. The values of density of Cresyl violet-stained stained sections in the hippocampal CA1 were significantly increased in UJT1, UJT2 group compared with control group. The values of density of AchE in the hippocampal CA1 were increased in UJT1, UJT2 group compared with control group, but the values were not significant. Conclusions: The present author thought that Yukmijihwang-Tang could he used for curing dementia induced by focal brain ischemic injury.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.74-84
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• 2002

목적 : 본 실험에서는 gerbil을 이용한 전뇌허혈 동물모델에서 뇌허혈손상 직후 지연성 뇌손상에 대한 대황의 방어효과와 Apoptosis 과정중의 Bax와 Bcl-2 단백질에 대한 조절작용을 관찰하고, TUNEL 염색법을 통하여 대황이 gerbil hippocampus CAl영역의 pyramidal neuron의 세포사에 미치는 영향과 PCl2세포를 이용한 세포배양 모델에서의 대황의 신경방어 효과를 관찰하였다. 방법 : Mongolian gerbil의 총경동맥을 5분간 폐색하여 가역성 전뇌허혈을 유발시킨 후 대황의 전탕액을 하루에 한번 경구 투여하였다. 대황의 신경 보호 효과는 수술 7일 후에 cresyl violet으로 염색하여, 살아있는 신경 세포의 수를 세어 측정하였다. 또, 수술 3일 후에는 면역조직화학적 방범을 통하여 Bax. Bcl-2단백질의 발현과 대황의 신경보호 효과와의 관련성을 알아보았다. 결과： 가역적 전뇌허혈이 일어난 동물군의 경우 hippocampus의 CAl 영역에서 살아있는 신경세포의 수는 $51.0{\pm}2.5개{\;}/mm$에 불과하였으나, 그에 비해 수술 후 7일간 대황을 투여한 동물군은 $106.2{\pm}2.5개{\;}/mm$로 살아 있는 신경세포수가 크게 증가하였다. Apoptosis를 촉진하는 단백질인 Bax의 발현은 3일간 대황을 투여한 동물군의 경우 hippocampus의 CAl 영역에서 현저하게 저해되었고, Apoptosis를 억제하는 Bcl-2 단백질의 발현은 변화가 없었다. TUNEL assay를 통하여 살펴본 결과 대황 투여군의 apoptotic 신경세포사가 감소하였으며 이는 Bax protein의 발현과 유사한 양상을 나타내었다. 결론：대황이 Bax 단백질의 발현을 억제하여 상대적으로 Bax/Bcl-2 자연적 세포사를 억제하여 Mogolian gerbil의 가역성 전뇌허혈 모델에서 신경보호효과를 나타내는 것으로 사료된다.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.33-42
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• 2011

Objectives : This study was performed to evaluate the effects of Scutellariae radix (SR) water extract on locomotor dysfunction induced by spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. Methods : SCI was induced mechanical contusion following laminectomy of 10 th thoracic vertebra in Sprague-Dawley rats. SR was orally given once a day for 7 days after SCI. Neurological behavior was examined with the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan locomotor rating scale. Tissue damage and nerve fiber degeneration were examined with cresyl violet and luxol fast blue (LFB) histochemistry. Using immunohistochemistry, cellular damages to neurons and nerve fibers were examined MAP-2. Results : 1. SR significantly ameliorated the locomotor dysfunction of the SCI-induced rats. 2. SR significantly reduced the number of motor neurons in the ventral horn of the SCI-induced rat spinal cord. 3. SR attenuated the reduction of nerve fiber shirnakage and degeneration of the SCI-induced rat spinal cord. 4. SR attenuated the reduction of MAP-2 positive cells in the peri-lesion of the SCI-induced rat spinal cord. Conclusions : These results suggest that SR improves the locomotor dysfunction of SCI by reducing degeneration of nerve fibers and motor neuron shrinkage in the ventral horn.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.81-88
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• 2020

Regulator of calcineurin 1 (RCAN1) can be induced by an intracellular calcium increase and oxidative stress, which are characteristic features of temporal lobe epilepsy. Thus, we investigated the spatiotemporal expression and cellular localization of RCAN1 protein and mRNA in the mouse hippocampus after pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE). Male C57BL/6 mice were given pilocarpine hydrochloride (280 mg/kg, i.p.) and allowed to develop 2 h of SE. Then the animals were given diazepam (10 mg/kg, i.p.) to stop the seizures and sacrificed at 1, 3, 7, 14, or 28 day after SE. Cresyl violet staining showed that pilocarpine-induced SE resulted in cell death in the CA1 and CA3 subfields of the hippocampus from 3 day after SE. RCAN1 immunoreactivity showed that RCAN1 was mainly expressed in neurons in the shammanipulated hippocampi. At 1 day after SE, RCAN1 expression became detected in hippocampal neuropils. However, RCAN1 signals were markedly enhanced in cells with stellate morphology at 3 and 7 day after SE, which were confirmed to be reactive astrocytes, but not microglia by double immunofluorescence. In addition, realtime reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction showed a significant upregulation of RCAN1 isoform 4 (RCAN1-4) mRNA in the SE-induced hippocampi. Finally, in situ hybridization with immunohistochemistry revealed astrocytic expression of RCAN1-4 after SE. These results demonstrate astrocytic upregulation of RCAN1 and RCAN1-4 in the mouse hippocampus in the acute and subacute phases of epileptogenesis, providing foundational information for the potential role of RCAN1 in reactive astrocytes during epileptogenesis.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.77-81
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• 2004

The loss of neurons and synaptic contacts following cerebral ischemia may lead to a synaptic plastic modification, which may contribute to the functional recovery after a brain lesion. Using synapsin I and GAP-43 as markers, we investigated the neuronal cell death and the synaptic plastic modification in the rat hippocampus of a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model. Cresyl violet staining revealed that neuronal cell damage occurred after 2 h of MCAO, which progressed during reperfusion for 2 weeks. The immunoreactivity of synapsin I and GAP-43 was increased in the stratum lucidum in the CA3 subfield as well as in the inner and outer molecular layers of dentate gyrus in the hippocampus at reperfusion for 2 weeks. The immunoreactivity of phosphosynapsin was increased in the stratum lucidum in the CA3 subfield during reperfusion for 1 week. Our data suggest that the increase in the synapsin I and GAP-43 immunoreactivity probably mediates either the functional adaptation of the neurons through reactive synaptogenesis from the pre-existing presynaptic nerve terminals or the structural remodeling of their axonal connections in the areas with ischemic loss of target cells. Furthermore, phosphosynapsin may play some role in the synaptic plastic adaptations before or during reactive synaptogenesis after the MCAO.