Lack of mitigation of methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity by ganglioside GM1 or vitamin E.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to S F Ali.
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1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is toxic toward the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system of a plethora of species including rodents, nonhuman primates and humans. The present study was designed to evaluate if systemic administration of MPTP or its metabolite, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+), has significant effects on body temperature (BT) and whether such effects might play a role in the neurotoxicity. A single intraperitoneal (i.p.) dose of either MPTP (50 mg/kg) or MPP+ (12.5 mg/kg) leads to a decrease in BT in both C57BL/6N (C57) and CD-1 mice. The hypothermia induced by MPTP can be blocked by pretreatment with deprenyl (30 mg/kg, i.p.), an MAO-B inhibitor. However, the hypothermia elicited by MPP+ is refractive to MAO-B inhibition. These findings suggest that MPP+ is responsible for the BT reduction and that the primary site of action lies outside the blood-brain barrier. An initial hyperthermic phase in the CD-1 mice, which leads to the induction of heat shock protein-72 (HSP-72) throughout the brain, differentiates their response to MPTP from that of C57 mice. This initial hyperthermia appears to be protective since its prevention by dosing at a low ambient temperature enhances striatal dopamine (DA) depletion in CD-1 mice. The temperature effects of both MPTP and MPP+ also display an age-dependence in the C57 strain of mice, with the magnitude of the effects correlating positively with age. However, profound hypothermia could be induced by MPP+ in the absence of striatal DA depletion. The latter finding suggests that while a positive correlation was found between age and the magnitude of the hypothermia, DA depletion and hypothermia are not causally related. The apparent protective effect of the initial hyperthermia in the CD-1 strain of mice, however, suggests that BT is an important parameter in the neurotoxicity of MPTP.
3-nitropropionic acid (3-NPA) neurotoxicity and long-term effects of perinatal hypoxia were evaluated in 18 adult rats. Hypoxia-insulted (I) and noninsulted (NI) rats were delivered by cesarean section. Hypoxic insult was effected by submerging dissected uterine horns in warmed saline for 15 min. NI rats were delivered from the adjacent nonsubmerged horns. At postnatal day 90, I and NI rats were trained to perform tasks thought to measure behaviors dependent upon aspects of time estimation (TE), motivation, and learning. At 12 months of age, rats were injected i.p. with escalating doses of 3-NPA (5 mg/kg/day to a maximum of 30 mg/kg/day) immediately after each test session and sacrificed at the end of treatment. Additional male rats were used as untreated controls. Although 3-NPA produced a dose-dependent impairment of performance in each task, the effects were qualitatively similar for each group. A significant difference between I and NI rats was, however, observed in the TE task where NI rats completed less of the task at high doses of 3-NPA compared to I rats. Compared to untreated controls, dopamine concentrations were decreased in caudate nucleus of both I and NI rats after 3-NPA. Specific areas most frequently damaged included cerebral cortex, hippocampal subfield CA1, thalamus, caudate nucleus, and the cerebellum. Lesions usually were less extensive in the I rather than NI members of a littermate pair, suggesting a possible protective effect of perinatal hypoxia against subsequent 3-NPA neurotoxicity.
It has been proposed that neurodegenerative processes of aging are associated with the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during cellular metabolism. These reactive oxygen species are scavenged by antioxidant enzymes in biological systems. The present study was designed to determine the selective distribution of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activity and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in different regions of the C57BL/6N mouse brain and to determine if any alterations occurred with age. Catalase activity did not show any significant change except in cerebellum. Activity of superoxide dismutase was increased with age in all regions of the brain except in hippocampus of 2-yr-old mice. The glutathione peroxidase activity in the caudate nucleus increased in all regions of the brain, however, the activity did not change at one, six and 12 months. A significant increasing pattern of glutathione content was found in the cerebellum and brain stem with age. These data demonstrate that although the level of antioxidant enzymes varied in different regions of the brain, overall the enzyme activities tend to increase with age.
Manganese (Mn) is an essential element, the deficiency or excess of which is known to cause neurotoxicity in experimental animals and man. The mechanism of action of Mn neurotoxicity is still unclear. The present study was designed to evaluate whether in vitro or in vivo exposure to Mn produced reactive oxygen species (ROS). We also sought to determine if a single injection of Mn produces changes in monoamines concentration in different regions of rat brain. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were dosed with 0, 50 or 100 mg/kg, ip with either MnCl2 (Mn+2) or MnOAc (Mn+3) and were sacrificed 1 h after the dose was administered. Brains were quickly removed and dissected for neurochemical analysis. ROS were measured by a molecular probe, 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA), and monoamines and their metabolites were measured by HPLC/EC. In vitro exposure to MnCl2 (1-1000 microM) produced dose-dependent increases of ROS in striatum whereas MnOAc produced similar increases at much lower concentrations (1-100 microM). In vivo exposure to MnOAc (Mn+3) produced significant increases of ROS in caudate nucleus and hippocampus, whereas MnCl2 (Mn+2) produced significant effects only in hippocampus. Concentrations of dopamine, serotonin and their metabolites (DOPAC, HVA and 5-HIAA) were not altered with acute injections of either MnCl2 or MnOAc. These data suggest that both divalent and trivalent manganese induce ROS, however, Mn+3 is an order of magnitude more potent than Mn+2.
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The actions of ethanol on membrane fluidity were examined. All assays were carried out using fluorescence techniques in the P2 fraction of crude synaptosomes isolated from rat brain. Subchronic treatment of rats with ethanol revealed a significant increase in order at the membrane interior. In vitro addition of ethanol to P2 fractions prepared from treated rats revealed a significant rise in fluidity at the membrane core that was not found in corresponding P2 fractions from untreated rats. The withdrawal of ethanol from subchronically treated rats revealed no significant alterations in membrane fluidity. However, in vitro addition of ethanol to P2 fractions prepared from these animals produced an increase in fluidity at the membrane centre. This effect was not observed in corresponding control rats. Rat pups that were gestationally exposed to ethanol also failed to show any significant differences in membrane fluidity compared with control rats. However, in vitro addition of a challenge dose of ethanol to P2 fractions resulted in a significant rise in fluidity not found in pups from untreated mothers. These findings suggest that the process of adaptation to chronic ethanol may be dissected into two separable events: one frequently reported effect that alters membrane fluidity and one that modulates membrane susceptibility to ethanol-induced perturbations.
Recently we have reported that methamphetamine (METH) neurotoxicity in rats depends on the environmental temperature. Here, we evaluate whether a cold environment (4 degrees C) or drugs which chloride and glutamate ion channel function block METH neurotoxicity in mice. Adult male CD mice received METH i.p. (4 x 10 mg/kg METH at 23 degrees C along with saline. 2.5 mg/kg (+)-MK-801, 40 mg/kg phenobarbital or 2.5 mg/kg diazepam and either 4 x 10 or 4 x 20 mg/kg METH at 4 degrees C). Multiple injections of METH (4 x 10 mg/kg i.p.) at room temperature (23 degrees C) produced a significant depletion of dopamine (DA) in striatum at 24, 72 h, 1 and 2 weeks. Three days post 4 x 10 mg/kg METH at 23 degrees C, an 80% decrease in striatal dopamine (DA) occurred while the same dose at 4 degrees C produced only a 20% DA decrease, and 4 x 20 mg/kg METH at 4 degrees C produced a 54% DA decrease. At 23 degrees C (+)MK-801 completely blocked while phenobarbital (40% decrease) and diazepam (65% decrease) partially blocked decreases in striatal DA produced by 4 x 10 mg/kg METH. Decreases in DOPAC and HVA were similar to the decreases in DA after METH and antagonists. Multiple injections of METH (4 x 10 mg/kg, i.p.) at room temperature also produced a significant depletion of serotonin (5-HT) in striatum at 24, 72 h, 1 and 2 weeks. This depletion of 5-HT at room temperature was blocked either by changing the environmental temperature to 4 degrees C, or by pretreatment with MK-801, diazepam and phenobarbital.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) causes marked depletion of dopamine (DA) levels and reduction in the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the nigrostriatal DA pathway. In the brain, the enzyme monoamine oxidase B converts MPTP to 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) which enters DA terminals via DA uptake sites. Within the DA terminals, MPP+ blocks the mitochondrial complex I and causes ATP depletion. This is thought to be the main cause of MPTP-induced terminal degeneration. In addition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated after blockade of the complex I as well as those generated due to DA oxidation may participate in MPTP-induced dopaminotoxicity. The present study sought to determine if a single injection of a large dose of MPTP generates ROS. We also sought to determine if these changes as well as changes in DA levels were correlated and age-dependent. Toward that end, we have used C57/B6N male mice that were 22 days or 12 months old. These animals were injected with a single dose of MPTP (40 mg/kg, ip). Animals were sacrificed at various times after drug administration. MPTP produced no significant increase in ROS nor decreases in DA or HVA concentrations in the striatum of the younger mice. However, DOPAC concentrations were significantly decreased from 15-120 min after drug administration. In the older mice, MPTP caused significant increases in ROS from the beginning to the end of the study period. DA concentrations were decreased from 60 min onward. DOPAC concentrations were decreased significantly after 15-120 min while HVA concentrations were significantly increased after 60 and 120 min.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Seven monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were laparotomized under general anesthesia (halothane, nitrous oxide, oxygen). Fetal hypoxia was induced in four monkeys by occlusion of the umbilical cord with a hydraulic occluder for 5-6 min. Three sham-operated fetuses served as controls. After unclamping, the fetuses were allowed to reperfuse for 20-30 min. To monitor hypoxia, the fetal electrocardiogram was recorded continuously. Hypoxic insult was associated with a decrease in fetal heart rate during the occlusion. After reperfusion, fetuses were immediately sacrificed and neocortex regions dissected on ice, frozen on dry ice and stored at -70 degrees C. Dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, homovanillic acid, serotonin, and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were assayed by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC/EC) in hippocampus, caudate nucleus and cortical regions. In the hippocampus, there was a significant increase in 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid concentration. In prefrontal cortex, there was a trend toward an increase in serotonin but no effects on dopamine and homovanillic acid concentrations. Dopamine, serotonin and metabolites were not altered in the caudate nucleus. These data demonstrate that fetal hypoxia followed by reperfusion produced an increase in serotonin concentration measured within the hippocampus and selected cortical areas known to be targets of hypoxic injury.
Phencyclidine (PCP) inhibits the uptake of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA), and blocks N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-regulated ion channels. PCP also binds to sigma receptors in vivo and in vitro in rat brain. Prolonged exposure to PCP in adults has been observed to reduce the number of PCP binding sites in brain. We designed these experiments to evaluate whether prolonged prenatal exposure to PCP produces alterations in the development of DA and NMDA systems in brain. To do so, we characterized the normal course of development of basal and stimulated DA release in striatal slices, the ontogeny of striatal DA concentrations, and the development of NMDA receptor channels and associated glutamate binding sites in frontal cortex. We compared these developmental profiles to those in rats exposed to prenatal PCP, in an attempt to characterize the effect of prenatal PCP exposure on the pattern of brain development. Pregnant CD rats were injected s.c. with either 0, 10 or 20 mg/kg PCP daily on gestational days 8 through 20. On postnatal days (PND) 8, 21, 45, or 100, rats were sacrificed and brain tissues isolated for in vitro assessment. In vitro [3H]DA release from striatal slices evoked by either 40 microM glutamate or 15 mM K+ increased over 250% from PND 8 to PND 45, and glutamate-stimulated release was still significantly below adult levels at PND 45. In contrast, D-methamphetamine (D-METH)-evoked [3H]DA release, frontal cortical glutamate binding sites and NMDA channels developed early, reaching adult levels on or before PND 21.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
These experiments examined the relationship between behavioral alterations and neurochemical changes in rats exposed repeatedly to disulfoton, an organophosphate cholinesterase inhibitor. Male Long-Evans rats were injected ip for 30 days with 0, 0.5, 1, or 2 mg/kg of disulfoton in corn oil. Clinical signs and motor activity were measured during the course of repeated exposure. Cognitive function, as measured in the Morris water maze, and passive avoidance procedures were assessed near the end of the dosing regimen. Regional brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was measured during the course of dosing while the total number of muscarinic receptors was measured at the end of the dosing regimen. Tolerance developed rapidly to the clinical signs produced by disulfoton, but not to the disulfoton-induced decrease in motor activity. Disulfoton affected the acquisition of water maze performance, but had no effect on passive avoidance acquisition or retention. Repeated exposure to disulfoton decreased brain AChE activity and the number of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding sites. These data indicate that, in spite of muscarinic receptor down-regulation that followed repeated exposure to disulfoton, animals become tolerant to only some of the functional effects produced by this chemical.
The in vivo dose-response relationship between toluene and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in rat brain, liver, kidney, and lung, and the time-course of these effects has been characterized. The rate of oxygen radical formation was measured using the probe 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate. In vivo exposure to various doses of toluene (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 g/kg ip) elicited a dose-dependent elevation of ROS generation within crude mitochondrial fractions obtained from rat lung and kidney, and within crude synaptosomal fractions from cerebellum. ROS formation in crude mitochondrial fractions from liver, and crude synaptosomal fractions from striatum and hippocampus, reached a maximum value at relatively low doses of toluene. Of the brain regions, the hippocampus had the highest induced levels of ROS. In vivo exposure to a single dose of toluene (1.5 g/kg ip), revealed that toluene-induced ROS reached a peak within 2 h, which correlated directly with measured toluene blood levels. This elevated oxidative activity was maintained throughout the next 24 h, even though blood values of toluene decreased to negligible amounts. These results demonstrate that exposure to toluene results in broad systemic elevation in the normal rate of oxygen radical generation, with such effects persisting in the tissues despite a rapid decline in toluene blood levels. Acute exposure to toluene may lead to extended ROS-related changes, and this may account for some of the clinical observations made in chronic toluene abusers.
Lipid peroxidation (LP) is a complex process which involves the formation of lipid free radicals and leads to oxidative damage. LP has also been implicated in several neurodegenerative diseases as well as aging. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of the induction of LP in vitro on muscarinic cholinergic (Mch) receptor binding and membrane fluidity in rat brain. Membranes from the rat frontal cortex were peroxidized by adding ferrous sulphate (84 microM) and ascorbic acid (400 microM). Peroxidation was measured as the amount of thiobarbituric acid reactive products formed (nmol malondialdehyde/mg protein). Mch receptor binding was measured 10, 20 and 30 min after peroxidation. Membrane fluidity was evaluated by fluorescence polarization studies using two probes; 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and 1-[4(trimethylamino)phenyl]-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH). Significant alterations in Mch receptor binding (decreased Bmax and increased Kd) were found after peroxidation. Membrane fluidity was also significantly decreased after peroxidation as observed with both probes. The decrease in membrane fluidity was due to an increased cholesterol to phospholipid molar ratio after peroxidation. These data suggest that lipid peroxidation induces changes in membrane dynamics as detected by the fluorescent probes and such changes in membrane microviscosity may be the cause for alterations in Mch receptor kinetics.
In an attempt to further develop basic principles to guide research in neurobehavioral teratology, six experiments were conducted to examine the effects of prenatal haloperidol (a D2 dopamine antagonist) exposure on striatal D1 and D2 binding sites. Another laboratory has repeatedly reported that prenatal exposure to this dopamine antagonist reduces striatal dopamine binding sites in exposed offspring. Our initial studies were successful in replicating and extending these previously reported reductions in D2 dopamine binding sites in caudate of rats exposed prenatally to haloperidol. However, additional experiments in our laboratory, in which pups were exposed to a range of haloperidol doses over gestational periods when the dopamine system has been reported to be most vulnerable to prenatal haloperidol exposure effects, have repeatedly failed to replicate our initial findings. Three other laboratories have also failed to duplicate this effect. The results of these studies suggest that beyond "standard" confounding variables, neurobehavioral teratologists are faced with as yet poorly understood factors that influence replication of findings within and between laboratories. These findings also emphasize the importance of within- and between-laboratory replication of experimental findings.
1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is known to cause neurotoxicity in rodents and nonhuman primates. In this study the ontogeny of MPTP-induced DA depletion and formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were evaluated in mouse striatum. C57/B6N mice were injected four times with 0 or 10 mg/kg MPTP (i.p.) at two-hour intervals on either postnatal day 23, at about 7 months of age, and at one year of age. Animals were sacrificed 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours after the last dose. Brains were rapidly removed and striata were dissected for neurochemical analysis. Dopamine (DA) and its metabolites 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) were measured by HPLC/EC. ROS formation was measured by a fluorescence probe, 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein-diacetate (DCFH-DA). MPTP produced a slight but significant decrease of DA only 4 hours post dosing on PND 23. DOPAC and HVA levels decreased up to 4 and 8 hours post dosing respectively and returned to control values thereafter. At 7 months of age, MPTP produced a 50-65% decrease of DA and its metabolites (DOPAC and HVA) in striatum 24 hours post dosing. In one year old mice, MPTP produced an 80% decrease of DA and 60-80% decrease of DOPAC and HVA in striatum. In contrast, ROS formation in striatum was not significantly increased by MPTP treatment at any age but was decreased at 1 hour only in PND 23 and 7 month old mice. These studies suggest that MPTP-induced neurotoxicity is age-dependent in the mouse.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
To study the involvement of the septohippocampal pathway in colchicine-induced changes in the hippocampus, colchicine was used to lesion the septum and/or hippocampus of male, Fischer-344 rats. Rats were killed 12 weeks post-lesion and histochemical and biochemical measurements were performed. [3H]-QNB binding, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity and agonist-stimulated release of inositol phosphates (IPs) were measured in hippocampal slices. AChE histochemistry was also performed to visualize AChE positive fibers in the hippocampus. Increases in ChAT activity, AChE staining and carbachol-stimulated IP release observed in hippocampal-lesioned animals were attenuated in animals receiving both septal and hippocampal lesions. However, the decrease observed in [3H]-QNB binding sites after intradentate colchicine was not affected by septal lesions. Subsequent studies also found enhanced sensitivity to excitatory amino acid (EAA)-stimulated IP release in hippocampal-lesioned animals. Similar to the changes observed in carbachol-stimulated PI hydrolysis, this increase was also long-lasting. However, the hyperstimulation of EAA-induced IP release was not attenuated by the septal lesion. Thus, it appears that the neurochemical and morphological changes observed in the hippocampus following intradentate colchicine are dependent upon more than one afferent projection to the hippocampus.