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B G Jenkins

Publications and source records attributed to B G Jenkins.

53 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Quantitative in vivo 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging of neuronal loss in rat brain.

The aim of this research was to determine whether in vivo nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic measurement of N-acetyl aspartate, a neuron specific brain marker, provides a quantitative index of neuronal loss. Five rats were injected unilaterally in the corpus striatum with kainic acid, an analogue of glutamate that causes excitotoxic degeneration of intrinsic neurons, and were subjected to nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopic imaging. Measurements of N-acetyl aspartate were determined in vivo and compared to post mortem nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic measures of N-acetyl aspartate and choline acetyl transferase and glutamate decarboxylase activities, biochemical markers for striatal intrinsic neuronal integrity. Mean per cent neuronal survival of hemispheres with lesion versus the contralateral hemispheres measured 72 for glutamate decarboxylase and 71 for N-acetyl aspartate (in vivo), 74 for N-acetyl aspartate (in vitro), and 62 for choline acetyl transferase, respectively. Our studies in rats have shown that estimates of neuronal loss through nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic measurements of N-acetyl aspartate are equivalent to traditional neuronal enzyme activity assays. The results unequivocally demonstrate that N-acetyl aspartate is a valid and sensitive neuronal marker with the capability of providing accurate assessments of neuronal loss in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Improved therapeutic window for treatment of histotoxic hypoxia with a free radical spin trap.

The therapeutic time window for N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists, non-NMDA antagonists, and glutamate release inhibitors in focal models of ischemia appears to be about 1-2 h. In contrast, a free radical spin trap was found to have an improved therapeutic window. We compared the therapeutic time windows of the NMDA antagonist dizolcilpine maleate (MK-801), the glutamate release inhibitor lamotrigine, and the free radical spin trap n-tert-butyl-alpha-(2-sulfophenyl)-nitrone (S-PBN) against striatal lesions produced by the mitochondrial toxin malonate, which produces histotoxic hypoxia. Lamotrigine exerted neuroprotective effects when administered at 1 h before malonate injections. MK-801 protected at 1 h before and 1 h after malonate injections, whereas S-PBN showed efficacy when administered up to 6 h after malonate injections. Striatal injections of malonate produced a rapid increase in lactate production and early changes in diffusion-weighted imaging as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. Therefore, the time course to evolve a lesion in our model of histotoxic hypoxia is comparable with that of other models of focal ischemia. These findings provide direct evidence that a free radical spin trap has an improved therapeutic window compared to an NMDA antagonist and a glutamate release inhibitor. This could be a therapeutic advantage in the treatment of clinical stroke patients.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Involvement of free radicals in excitotoxicity in vivo.

Recent evidence has linked excitotoxicity with the generation of free radicals. We examined whether free radical spin traps can attenuate excitotoxic lesions in vivo. Pretreatment with N-tert-butyl-alpha-(2-sulfophenyl)-nitrone (S-PBN) significantly attenuated striatal excitotoxic lesions in rats produced by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), kainic acid, and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA). In a similar manner, striatal lesions produced by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), malonate, and 3-acetylpyridine were significantly attenuated by either S-PBN or alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN) treatment. Administration of S-PBN in combination with the NMDA antagonist MK-801 produced additive effects against malonate and 3-acetylpyridine toxicity. Malonate injections resulted in increased production of hydroxyl free radicals (.OH) as assessed by the conversion of salicylate to 2,3- and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA). This increase was significantly attenuated by S-PBN, consistent with a free radical scavenging effect. S-PBN had no effects on malonate-induced ATP depletions and had no significant effect on spontaneous striatal electrophysiologic activity. These results provide the first direct in vivo evidence for the involvement of free radicals in excitotoxicity and suggest that antioxidants may be useful in treating neurologic illnesses in which excitotoxic mechanisms have been implicated.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Blockade of neuronal nitric oxide synthase protects against excitotoxicity in vivo.

Nitric oxide may be a key mediator of excitotoxic neuronal injury in the central nervous system. We examined the effects of the neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibitor 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) on excitotoxic striatal lesions. 7-NI significantly attenuated lesions produced by intrastriatal injections of NMDA, but not kainic acid or alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) 7-NI attenuated secondary striatal excitotoxic lesions produced by the succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor malonate, and the protection was reversed by L-arginine but not by D-arginine, 7-NI produced nearly complete protection against striatal lesions produced by systemic administration of 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP), another succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor, 7-NI protected against malonate induced decreases in ATP, and increases in lactate, as assessed by 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy. 7-NI had no effects on spontaneous electrophysiologic activity in the striatum in vivo, suggesting that its effects were not mediated by an interaction with excitatory amino acid receptors. 7-NI attenuated increases in hydroxyl radical, 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine and 3-nitrotyrosine generation in vivo, which may be a consequence of peroxynitrite formation. The present results implicate neuronal nitric oxide generation in the pathogenesis of both direct and secondary excitotoxic neuronal injury in vivo. As such they suggest that neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibitors may be useful in the treatment of neurologic diseases in which excitotoxic mechanisms play a role.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1994

Malonate produces striatal lesions by indirect NMDA receptor activation.

We previously showed that local striatal injections of malonate produce age-dependent excitotoxic lesions. In the present study volumetric analysis confirmed that malonate produces age-dependent striatal lesions. Pretreatment with the non-competitive and competitive NMDA receptor antagonists, MK-801 and LY274614, and with lamotrigine resulted in significant protection in 4-month-old animals. In vivo magnetic resonance imaging of lesion area showed a significant correlation of increasing lesion size and lactate production in rats ranging from 1 to 12 months of age. Histological evaluation showed NADPH-diaphorase neurons were spared. The results provide further evidence that a subtle impairment of energy metabolism may play a role in neurodegenerative diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Coenzyme Q10 and nicotinamide block striatal lesions produced by the mitochondrial toxin malonate.

A potential mechanism of neuronal injury in neurodegenerative diseases is a defect in energy metabolism that may lead to slow excitotoxic neuronal death. Consistent with this possibility, we showed that specific inhibitors of the electron transport chain produce excitotoxic lesions in vivo. In the present study we examined whether agents that improve energy metabolism can block lesions produced by the mitochondrial toxin malonate. Striatal lesions produced by the complex II inhibitor malonate were blocked in a dose-dependent manner by oral pretreatment with coenzyme Q10. Administration of nicotinamide by Alzet pump for 1 week attenuated malonate-induced lesions, but riboflavin had no effect. Administration of nicotinamide intraperitoneally just prior to and following induction of the lesions produced dose-dependent neuroprotection. A combination of coenzyme Q10 with nicotinamide was more effective than either compound alone, as shown by both lesion size and magnetic resonance imaging in vivo. Both coenzyme Q10 and nicotinamide blocked adenosine triphosphate depletions and lactate increases. These results confirm that mitochondrial toxins produce striatal excitotoxic lesions by a mechanism involving energy depletion in vivo. Furthermore, they suggest novel neuroprotective strategies that may be useful in the treatment of both mitochondrial encephalopathies and neurodegenerative diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Systemic or local administration of azide produces striatal lesions by an energy impairment-induced excitotoxic mechanism.

Sodium azide is an inhibitor of cytochrome oxidase which produces selective striatal lesions in both rodents and primates. In the present study we investigated the neurochemical and histologic effects of both intrastriatal and systemic administration of sodium azide, as well as the age dependence and mechanism of the lesions. Intrastriatal administration of sodium azide produced dose-dependent lesions. Neurochemical and histologic evaluation showed that markers of both spiny projection neurons (GABA, substance P) and aspiny interneurons (somatostatin, neuropeptide Y, NADPH-diaphorase) were equally affected. Subacute systemic administration of sodium azide resulted in lesions with a similar neurochemical profile; however, in contrast to intrastriatal injections there was sparing of dopaminergic striatal afferents. Prior decortication significantly attenuated lesions produced by intrastriatal administration of sodium azide, consistent with an excitotoxic process. Chronic administration of sodium azide for 1 month lead to striatal neuropathological changes. Lesions produced by intrastriatal administration of sodium azide in 1-, 4-, and 12-month-old animals showed age dependence. Both freeze-clamp measurements and chemical-shift magnetic resonance spectroscopy confirmed that sodium azide impairs oxidative phosphorylation in the striatum following either intrastriatal or systemic administration. These results show that the striatum is particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress produced by sodium azide, and that it produces striatal lesions by a secondary excitotoxic mechanism.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗
PubMed1994

3-Acetylpyridine produces age-dependent excitotoxic lesions in rat striatum.

The effects of 3-acetylpyridine (3-AP) were studied in rat striatum. Striatal injections of 3-AP produced dose-dependent lesions. The lesion size was significantly increased in 4- and 12-month-old rats compared to 1-month-old rats. Coinjection of the competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV) or systemic administration of the noncompetitive NMDA antagonist MK-801, the competitive NMDA antagonist LY274614, or the glutamate release inhibitor lamotrigine partially but significantly attenuated striatal lesion volume. Consistent with an NMDA receptor-mediated excitotoxic effect, histologic studies showed that 3-AP lesions result in relative sparing of NADPH-diaphorase neurons. Using freeze clamp, 3-AP resulted in a marked depletion of ATP. Two-dimensional water-suppressed proton chemical shift magnetic resonance imaging showed a striatal depletion of the neuronal marker N-acetylaspartate but no focal increase in lactate during the first 3 h after intrastriatal 3-AP injections. Pretreatment with fructose-1,6-biphosphate attenuated the lesion volume significantly, which may be due to its ability to serve as a substrate for glycolytic metabolism, with resulting ATP production. The results of the present studies support the hypothesis that 3-AP produces an impairment of energy metabolism due to its substitution for niacinamide in the formation of NAD(P). Furthermore, 3-AP toxicity may involve a secondary excitotoxic mechanism mediated by NMDA receptors.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1993

Age-dependent vulnerability of the striatum to the mitochondrial toxin 3-nitropropionic acid.

The mechanisms of delayed onset and cell death in Huntington's disease (HD) are unknown. One possibility is that a genetic defect in energy metabolism may result in slow excitotoxic neuronal death. Therefore, we examined the effects of age on striatal lesions produced by local administration of the mitochondrial toxin 3-nitropropionic acid in rats. In vivo chemical shift magnetic resonance imaging showed marked increases in striatal lactate concentrations that significantly correlated with increasing age. Histologic and neurochemical studies showed a striking age dependence of the lesions, with 4- and 12-month-old animals being much more susceptible than 1-month-old animals. Continuous systemic administration of low doses of 3-nitropropionic acid for 1 month resulted in striatal lesions showing growth-related changes in dendrites of striatal spiny neurons using the Golgi technique. These results show that a known mitochondrial toxin can produce selective axon-sparing striatal lesions showing both the age dependence and striatal spiny neuron dendritic changes that characterize HD.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1993

Evidence for impairment of energy metabolism in vivo in Huntington's disease using localized 1H NMR spectroscopy.

The Huntington's disease (HD) gene mutation has recently been found; however, the biochemical defect that leads to neurodegeneration is still unknown. A progressive impairment of neuronal energy metabolism is a possible etiologic factor. We tested this possibility using localized proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in 18 patients at high risk for, or suffering from, HD as compared with normal controls. Lactate concentrations were increased in the occipital cortex of symptomatic HD patients when compared with normal controls, and the lactate level correlated with duration of illness. In addition, several patients showed highly elevated lactate levels in the basal ganglia. Basal ganglia levels of N-acetylaspartate were lowered and choline dramatically elevated, relative to creatine, reflecting neuronal loss and gliosis in this brain region. These findings are consistent with a possible defect in energy metabolism in HD, which could contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease. The presence of elevated lactate in HD brains may provide a simple marker that can be followed over time noninvasively and repeatedly to aid in devising and monitoring possible therapies for HD patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Neurochemical and histologic characterization of striatal excitotoxic lesions produced by the mitochondrial toxin 3-nitropropionic acid.

An impairment of energy metabolism may underlie slow excitotoxic neuronal death in neurodegenerative diseases. We therefore examined the effects of intrastriatal, subacute systemic, or chronic systemic administration of the mitochondrial toxin 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP) in rats. Following intrastriatal injection 3-NP produced dose-dependent striatal lesions. Neurochemical and histologic evaluation showed that markers of both spiny projection neurons (GABA, substance P, calbindin) and aspiny interneurons (somatostatin, neuropeptide Y, NADPH-diaphorase) were equally affected. Subacute systemic administration of 3-NP produced age-dependent bilateral striatal lesions with a similar neurochemical profile. However, in contrast to the intrastriatal injections, striatal dopaminergic afferent projections were spared. Both freeze-clamp measurements and chemical shift magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that 3-NP impairs energy metabolism in the striatum in vivo. Microdialysis showed no increase in extracellular glutamate concentrations after systemic administration of 3-NP. The lesions produced by intrastriatal injection or systemic administration of 3-NP were blocked by prior decortication. However, the NMDA antagonist MK-801 did not block the effects of intrastriatal 3-NP, consistent with a non-NMDA excitotoxic mechanism. In contrast to subacute systemic administration of 3-NP, chronic (1 month) administration produced lesions confined to the striatum in which there was relative sparing of NADPH-diaphorase interneurons, consistent with an NMDA excitotoxic process. Chronic administration showed growth-related proliferative changes in dendrites of spiny neurons similar to changes in Huntington's disease (HD). These results are consistent with in vitro studies showing that mild metabolic compromise can selectively activate NMDA receptors while more severe compromise activates both NMDA and non-NMDA receptors. Chronic administration of 3-NP over 1 month produces selective striatal lesions that replicate many of the characteristic histologic and neurochemical features of HD.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗
PubMed1991

Site-specific water proton relaxation enhancement of iron(III) chelates noncovalently bound to human serum albumin.

Binding of potential blood pool and hepatobiliary paramagnetic iron(III) contrast agents, rac- and meso-Fe(5-Br-EHPG)- (iron(III) N,N'-ethylenebis [(5-bromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)glycinate]) and Fe(5-Br-HBED)- (iron(III) N,N'-bis-(5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzyl)ethylenediaminediacetic acid) to human serum albumin (HSA) has been studied using the proton relaxation enhancement (PRE) effect on solvent protons. These chelates bind avidly to multiple sites on HSA with binding constants on the order of 10(4) to 10(5) M-1. Interestingly, binding results in a decrease in the diamagnetic component of the water relaxivity due to HSA, while the expected enhancement of the paramagnetic component of water proton relaxation rates occurs due to the increase in the rotational correlation times of the protein-bound agents. These relaxation enhancements are variable, depending upon the site on the protein to which these chelates are bound, and can be as high as approximately 7 mM-1 s-1 at 5 degrees C and approximately 5 mM-1 s-1 at 37 degrees C at 20 MHz (enhancements of approximately 2-5). Change of temperature from 5 to 37 degrees C also appears to switch the relative affinities of these chelates for their primary and secondary binding sites. It is found that the important HSA binding site for the heme breakdown product, bilirubin-IX alpha, is a target for these agents and is the site of highest relaxivity for all the agents.

Bilirubin↗
PubMed1991

Detection of site-specific binding and co-binding of ligands to macromolecules using 19F NMR.

Study of ligand-macromolecular interactions by 19F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy affords many opportunities for obtaining molecular biochemical and pharmaceutical information. This is due to the absence of a background fluorine signal, as well as the relatively high sensitivity of 19F NMR. Use of fluorine-labeled ligands enables one to probe not only binding and co-binding phenomena to macromolecules, but also can provide data on binding constants, stoichiometries, kinetics, and conformational properties of these complexes. Under conditions of slow exchange and macromolecule-induced chemical shifts, multiple 19F NMR resonances can be observed for free and bound ligands. These shifted resonances are a direct correlate of the concentration of ligand bound in a specific state rather than the global concentrations of bound or free ligand which are usually determined using other techniques such as absorption spectroscopy or equilibrium dialysis. Examples of these interactions are demonstrated both from the literature and from interactions of 5-fluorotryptophan, 5-fluorosalicylic acid, flurbiprofen, and sulindac sulfide with human serum albumin. Other applications of 19F NMR to study of these interactions in vivo, as well for receptor binding and metabolic tracing of fluorinated drugs and proteins are discussed.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1990

Detection of site-specific binding and co-binding of ligands to human serum albumin using 19F NMR.

Binding and co-binding of various 19F-labeled ligands to human serum albumin (HSA) has been studied using 19F NMR. Specifically shifted resonances in slow exchange with the free resonances are detected for many of the ligands. These specifically shifted resonances can be studied to yield accurate estimates of site-specific binding constants and stoichiometries. In addition, the use of two different 19F-labeled ligands can directly reveal competition for a given site or independent binding at different sites. For instance, it is easily shown that both 5-F-L-tryptophan and 5-F-salicylic acid are capable of binding independently to two sites on HSA at the same time, without the need for any curve-fitting or assumptions. These results demonstrate that the concept of "sites" on HSA is not only useful but is necessary. The technique also reveals allosteric interactions between 5-F-L-Trp and warfarin co-bound to HSA. This technique proves to be a powerful methodology for studying ligand and drug binding to HSA that is free from some of the pitfalls associated with more traditional techniques such as equilibrium dialysis.

Allosteric Regulation↗