HOMEPRODUCTSCOMPANYCONTACTFAQResearchDictionaryPharmaSign Up FREE or Login

In vitro mitochondrial failure and oxidative stress mimic biochemical features of Alzheimer disease.

Abstract
Primary cortical neurons exposed to the mitochondrial toxin NaN3 (0.1-3 mM) were submitted to oxidative stress with H2O2 (30-150 μM), to mimic conditions observed in neurodegenerative disorders. The effects of such treatment on a series of parameters useful in characterizing neuronal damage were investigated: (i) the basal release of glutamate, evaluated as (3)H-d-Aspartate efflux, was sharply, concentration-dependently, increased; (ii) the phosphorylation status of intracellular markers known to be involved in the neurodegenerative processes, in particular in Alzheimer disease: tau and GSK3β were increased, as well as the protein level of β-secretase (BACE1) and p35/25 evaluated by Western blotting, while (iii) the cell metabolic activity, measured with the MTT method, was reduced, in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The latter effect, as well as tau hyperphosphorylation, was prevented both by a mixture of antioxidant drugs (100 μM ascorbic acid, 10 μM trolox, 100 μM glutathione) and by the anti-Alzheimer drug, memantine, 20 μM. Since it is well known that hippocampal cholinergic neurons are particularly affected in Alzheimer disease, the effects of NaN3 and H2O2 were also studied in electrically stimulated rat hippocampal slices, evaluating the (3)H-Choline efflux, as an index of acetylcholine release. The neurotoxic treatment depressed the neurosecretory function and the mixture of antioxidant drugs, as well as memantine, were able to restore it. The neuronal damage induced by the in vitro protocol adopted in the present work displays peculiarities of neurodegenerative disorders, e.g. Alzheimer disease, underlining the role of mitochondrial failure and oxidative stress, which appear to occur upstream the neurodegenerative process; such protocol could be utilized to test the efficacy of neuroprotective treatments.
AuthorsRita Selvatici, Luca Marani, Silvia Marino, Anna Siniscalchi
JournalNeurochemistry international (Neurochem Int) Vol. 63 Issue 2 Pg. 112-20 (Aug 2013) ISSN: 1872-9754 [Electronic] England
PMID23722080 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
CopyrightCopyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Chemical References
  • Antioxidants
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • tau Proteins
  • sodium nitride
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Gsk3b protein, rat
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3
  • Nitrogen
Topics
  • Alzheimer Disease (metabolism, physiopathology)
  • Animals
  • Antioxidants (pharmacology)
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 (metabolism)
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Mitochondria (drug effects, physiology)
  • Neuroprotective Agents (pharmacology)
  • Nitrogen (pharmacology)
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Phosphorylation
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • tau Proteins (metabolism)

Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!

Take advantage of free CureHunter research engine access to explore the best drug and treatment options for any disease. Find out why thousands of doctors, pharma researchers and patient activists around the world use CureHunter every day.
Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!


Choose Username:
Email:
Password:
Verify Password:
Enter Code Shown: