Autoradiographic localization of opioid and spirodecanone receptors in the gerbil hippocampus as compared with the rat hippocampus

Evidence for the colocalization of parvalbumin and glutamate, but not GABA, in the perforant path of the gerbil hippocampal formation: a combined immunocytochemical and microquantitative analysis

Gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) are known for their seizure sensitivity, which is dependent on an intact perforant path from the entorhinal cortex to the hippocampus. In contrast with other species, the perforant path in gerbils contains parvalbumin, a cytosolic high-affinity calcium-binding protein. Parvalbumin is known to be present in a subpopulation of GABA-containing neurons and is thought to be responsible for their physiological characteristics of fast spiking activity and lack of spike adaptation. Therefore, the question arose of whether this projection in gerbils is GABAergic or glutamatergic as in other species. In a first approach to this question, the effect of lesioning the origin of the perforant path, the entorhinal cortex, on levels of GABA and glutamate was determined by enzymatic-luminometric assay in single layers of the dentate gyrus of lyophilized brain sections. Parallel sections were cryofixed using an acidified acetone-formaldehyde mixture at -20 degrees C for 48 h, and subsequently stained for parvalbumin immunocytochemistry. Seven days after ablation of the entorhinal cortex, parvalbumin staining was undetectable in the termination zone of the perforant path, the outer two-thirds of the stratum moleculare. In parallel, glutamate content was reduced to 80% of controls (and of the unoperated contralateral side) but unchanged in the inner third of the stratum moleculare and in stratum granulare. GABA content was not significantly altered by the lesion. From these results, we conclude that in the gerbil as in other species, the perforant path contains glutamate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Neural grafting to ischemic CA1 lesions in the rat hippocampus: an autoradiographic study

Fetal hippocampal neurons were stereotaxically transplanted to five-day-old ischemic CA1 lesions in adult rat hippocampi. The recipient brains were examined 14 or 100 days later. The grafts survived well, and transplanted cells usually formed clusters in the host CA1 subfield. In vitro receptor autoradiography was employed to map the following receptors, the ligands indicated in parentheses being used for labeling: muscarinic cholinergic ([3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate), adenosine A1 ([3H]cyclohexyladenosine), kainate ([3H]kainic acid), spirodecanone ([3H]spiperone), opioid ([3H]naloxone), and GABAA ([3H]muscimol). The receptor autoradiographic technique showed significant binding of the six ligands in all hippocampal grafts two weeks after transplantation. One hundred days following transplantation, almost all receptors, especially muscarinic cholinergic, adenosine A1 and opioid receptor bindings in grafts, had significantly increased compared to bindings two weeks after transplantation. At this time, kainate and muscarinic cholinergic receptors in grafts had increased up to the near normal level of the CA1 in the hippocampus. Interestingly, adenosine A1 receptors in the grafted side had significantly increased not only in the CA1 but also in the stratum oriens of the CA3 compared with that in the non-grafted side. The increase of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding corresponded well with the innervation of acetylcholinesterase-positive fibers at 100 days after grafting. These results demonstrate that the transplanted neurons, which showed both pre- and post-synaptic autoradiographic markers in the ischemic CA1 lesions, are able to develop their properties and express the nature of normal hippocampal neurons.

Effects of aging on signal transmission and transduction systems in the gerbil brain: Morphological and autoradiographic study

The Mongolian gerbil was used as a model of aging because of its relatively short lifespan, genetic homogeneity and the fact that data had been collected previously. Furthermore, gerbils have been widely used in biomedical investigations of stroke and epilepsy. Age-related differences in signal transmission and transduction systems were investigated in brains of three-, 11- and 21-month-old gerbils by morphological and in vitro receptor autoradiographic studies. Morphometric analysis revealed a decreased number of neurons in layer III of the occipital cortex and also a decrease in cerebellar Purkinje cells in 21-month-old animals. However, no statistical differences were observed in the hippocampal formation, the dorsolateral striatum and layer III of the frontal cortex. Autoradiography was used to map muscarinic cholinergic (labeled with [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate), serotonin2 ([3H]spiperone), dopamine D2 ([3H]spiperone), adenosine A1 ([3H]cyclohexyladenosine), GABAA ([3H]muscimol), naloxone ([3H]naloxone), protein kinase C ([3H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate), adenylate cyclase ([3H]forskolin), cyclic AMP ([3H]cyclic AMP) and L-type Ca2+ channels ([3H]PN200-110). Muscarinic cholinergic receptor and protein kinase C, cyclic AMP and L-type Ca2+ channels were significantly decreased in the cerebral cortex and/or in the CA1 subfield of the hippocampus in the 21-month-old group. Muscarinic cholinergic receptor and L-type Ca2+ channel binding sites were significantly reduced in the dentate gyrus. In contrast, protein kinase C was increased in this area in the 21-month-old group. Also, naloxone binding sites were increased in the CA3 subfield, hilus, dentate gyrus and molecular layer of the cerebellum in the 11- and 21-month-old groups. Muscarinic cholinergic, serotonin2 and dopamine D2 receptors and adenylate cyclase were significantly decreased in the striatum. On the other hand, adenosine A1 and GABAA receptors remained unchanged in the 21-month-old group. Although age-related histopathological abnormalities were only observed in the occipital cortex and in the cerebellum, alterations of signal transmission and transduction systems were noticed in all areas examined (e.g. cerebral cortex, CA1 subfield, dentate gyrus and striatum). These data indicate that changes in these receptors and binding sites may be related to dysfunction of learning and memory and to the loss of motor function. The aged gerbil model is a good system for studying aging and is of value for simulating aging after epilepsy and stroke.

Distribution of protein kinase C in the hippocampus of the gerbil and rat: autoradiographic analysis by [3H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate

In-vitro quantitative receptor autoradiography with [3H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) was used to determine the affinity constant (Kd) and the maximum number of receptor sites (Bmax) for protein kinase C (PKC) in subregions of the gerbil hippocampus, and to compare the distribution of [3H]PDBu binding sites in the gerbil hippocampus with that in the rat hippocampus. The Kd and Bmax values in the subregions of the gerbil hippocampus were estimated at 2.6-3.8 nM and 2.38-2.54 pmol (mg tissue)-1, respectively. The distribution of hippocampus [3H]PDBu binding sites was uniform in the gerbil but not in the rat. The [3H]PDBu binding activities in the strata oriens of the CA1 and CA3 subfields and the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus in the rat hippocampus were significantly higher than in the gerbil hippocampus. However, binding activity in the stratum lacunosum-moleculare of the rat CA1 subfield was statistically lower. These data demonstrate a difference in the distribution of [3H]PDBu binding activity in the hippocampus between the gerbil and rat.

The effects of maternal ethanol exposure on neurotransmission and second messenger systems: a quantitative autoradiographic study in the rat brain

The effects of maternal ethanol exposure on neurotransmission and second messenger systems were examined in rats using histochemistry and in vitro autoradiography. Thirty % ethanol was administered to pregnant rats from gestational day 7 to the day of delivery. Quantitative autoradiography was used to map muscarinic cholinergic, dopamine D2, adenosine A1, and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate binding sites, as well as to localize adenylate cyclase and protein kinase C. We found no difference in the patterns of staining with acetylcholinesterase and Timm's stain between control and prenatally ethanol-exposed rats on postnatal day (PN) 30. In the ethanol-exposed rats, [3H]forskolin binding sites were increased during early development in the CA1 subfield of the hippocampus and the occipital cortex; [3H]phorbol ester binding sites were increased in the cortex, striatum, and hippocampus; hippocampal muscarinic cholinergic sites were increased on PN4 and 30; adenosine A1 binding was reduced on PN10 in most regions examined, but was increased in the CA1 subfield on PN30; dopamine D2 receptor levels were significantly reduced on PN30 in the striatum; and IP3 receptors were decreased in most regions studied, but particularly in the cerebellum. Thus, some of these changes were transient and others were long-lasting. Although histopathological abnormalities were minimal, the alterations of binding sites in the cerebellum (the coordination center) and in the hippocampus (related to memory and learning) that were detected may contribute to the behavioral and mental deterioration seen in the fetal alcohol syndrome.

Amelioration of brain damage after focal ischemia in the rat by a novel inhibitor of lipid peroxidation

We studied the effects of 2-(allyl-1-piperazinyl)-4-n-amyloxyquinazoline fumarate (KB-5666) on brain edema and histological neuronal damage in rats with focal ischemia and on lipid peroxidation in brain homogenates and brain mitochondria in vitro. KB-5666 (3-100 microM) inhibited lipid peroxidation in brain homogenates and mitochondria, and also inhibited mitochondrial swelling. In a rat with middle cerebral artery occlusion, administration of KB-5666 (3 and 10 mg/kg) immediately after ischemia prevented the formation of brain edema in the cortex and ameliorated the histological neuronal damage in the same area, but failed to do so in the striatum. These results indicate that KB-5666 is a potential inhibitor of lipid peroxidation that could possibly prevent ischemic complications such as formation of brain edema and neuronal damage. Further, these results suggest that lipid peroxidation may play an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemic damage after focal ischemia.

Staurosporine, a novel protein kinase C inhibitor, prevents postischemic neuronal damage in the gerbil and rat

The protective effects of protein kinase inhibitors and a calmodulin kinase inhibitor (W-7) against ischemic neuronal damage were examined in the CA1 subfield of the hippocampus. Staurosporine, KT5720, and KT5822 were used as inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC), cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, and cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase, respectively. All test compounds were injected topically into the CA1 subfield of the hippocampus. In the gerbil ischemia model, staurosporine (0.1-10 ng) administered 30 min before ischemia prevented neuronal damage in a dose-dependent manner. However, KT5720, KT5822, and W-7 were ineffective, even at a dose of 10 ng. In the rat ischemia model, staurosporine (10 ng) also prevented neuronal damage when administered before ischemic insult, although staurosporine administered 10 or 180 min after recirculation was ineffective. These results suggest the involvement of PKC in CA1 pyramidal cell death after ischemia and that the fate of vulnerable CA1 pyramidal cells through PKC-mediated processes could be determined during the early recirculation period.

Effect of nimodipine on ischemia-induced brain edema and mortality in a novel transient middle cerebral artery occlusion model

A novel transient middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion model in the rat was used to evaluate the effect of nimodipine on brain edema and mortality. Nimodipine (30 micrograms/kg) administered immediately after 3 hr of transient unilateral MCA occlusion attenuated significantly the post-ischemic increase of tissue water content and partly attenuated 45Ca accumulation in the parieto-temporal cortex ipsilateral to the left MCA occlusion 3 hr after reperfusion. Nimodipine decreased the mortality rate at 6 and 9 hr after recirculation, although the survival rate at 24 hr after recirculation was not different from the control group. These results suggest that nimodipine has beneficial effects in the early phase of the reperfusion period.

Increase in choline acetyltransferase activity in septum of rats after transient forebrain ischemia: a possible role of factors released in the hippocampus

Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity increased in rat septum 2 weeks after a transient forebrain ischemia. Extracts were prepared from hippocampus in which CA1 pyramidal neurons had been selectively destroyed by the ischemic insult. ChAT activity in septal neuronal cultures treated with these extracts for 6 days was significantly higher than that in control cultures.