Abstract |
The newly-developed calpain inhibitor, MDL 28170 penetrates the blood-brain barrier and inhibits brain cysteine protease activity after systemic administration. This experiment was initiated to determine if the calpain inhibitor, MDL 28170 could, by these actions, reduce neuronal damage in an animal model of global cerebral ischemia in the gerbil. The calpain inhibitor, MDL 28170 (50 mg/kg), was initiated at 0.5 and 3 h of recirculation following 5min of global ischemia. Animals subjected to ischemia but without treatment or with vehicle treatment served as controls. Evaluation by light microscopy was carried out on paraffin-embedded brain sections of gerbils which were sacrificed 7 days post-operatively. The results show that the calpain inhibitor, MDL 28170, protects against cortical neuronal damage even if the treatment is delayed until 3 h after reperfusion. However, the neuroprotective effect of this agent is less pronounced in the hippocampal CA1 sector. The results suggest that calpain-mediated proteolysis plays an important role in neuronal death due to ischemia. However, additional mechanisms by which an increased intracellular calcium concentration leads to neuronal death may exist.
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Authors | P A Li, W Howlett, Q P He, H Miyashita, M Siddiqui, A Shuaib |
Journal | Neuroscience letters
(Neurosci Lett)
Vol. 247
Issue 1
Pg. 17-20
(May 08 1998)
ISSN: 0304-3940 [Print] Ireland |
PMID | 9637399
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
- Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors
- Dipeptides
- Calpain
- calpain inhibitor III
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Topics |
- Animals
- Brain Ischemia
(chemically induced, drug therapy, pathology)
- Calpain
(antagonists & inhibitors)
- Cerebral Cortex
(drug effects, pathology)
- Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors
(therapeutic use)
- Dipeptides
(therapeutic use)
- Disease Models, Animal
- Gerbillinae
- Hippocampus
(drug effects, pathology)
- Male
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