Time course of oxidative stress, lesion and edema after intrastriatal injection of malonate in rat: effect of alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone

Neurological and histological consequences induced by in vivo cerebral oxidative stress: evidence for beneficial effects of SRT1720, a sirtuin 1 activator, and sirtuin 1-mediated neuroprotective effects of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibition

Poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase and sirtuin 1 are both NAD⁺-dependent enzymes. In vitro oxidative stress activates poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase, decreases NAD⁺ level, sirtuin 1 activity and finally leads to cell death. Poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase hyperactivation contributes to cell death. In addition, poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase inhibition restores NAD⁺ level and sirtuin 1 activity in vitro. In vitro sirtuin 1 induction protects neurons from cell loss induced by oxidative stress. In this context, the role of sirtuin 1 and its involvement in beneficial effects of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase inhibition were evaluated in vivo in a model of cerebral oxidative stress induced by intrastriatal infusion of malonate in rat. Malonate promoted a NAD⁺ decrease that was not prevented by 3-aminobenzamide, a poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase inhibitor, at 4 and 24 hours. However, 3-aminobenzamide increased nuclear SIRT1 activity/expression ratio after oxidative stress. Malonate induced a neurological deficit associated with a striatal lesion. Both were reduced by 3-aminobenzamide and SRT1720, a sirtuin 1 activator, showing beneficial effects of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase inhibition and sirtuin 1 activation on oxidative stress consequences. EX527, a sirtuin 1 inhibitor, given alone, modified neither the score nor the lesion, suggesting that endogenous sirtuin 1 was not activated during cerebral oxidative stress. However, its association with 3-aminobenzamide suppressed the neurological improvement and the lesion reduction induced by 3-aminobenzamide. The association of 3-aminobenzamide with SRT1720, the sirtuin 1 activator, did not lead to a better protection than 3-aminobenzamide alone. The present data represent the first demonstration that the sirtuin 1 activator SRT1720 is neuroprotective during in vivo cerebral oxidative stress. Furthermore sirtuin 1 activation is involved in the beneficial effects of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase inhibition after in vivo cerebral oxidative stress.

Role of mitogen-activated protein kinases in the mechanism of oxidant-induced cell swelling in cultured astrocytes

Cytotoxic brain edema, usually a consequence of astrocyte swelling, is an important complication of stroke, traumatic brain injury, hepatic encephalopathy, and other neurological disorders. Although mechanisms underlying astrocyte swelling are not fully understood, oxidative stress (OS) has generally been considered an important factor in its pathogenesis. To better understand the mechanism(s) by which OS causes cell swelling, we examined the potential involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in this process. Cultures exposed to theoxidant H(2)O(2) (10, 25, 50 microM) for different time periods (1-24 hr) significantly increased cell swelling in a triphasic manner. Swelling was initially observed at 10 min (peaking at 30 min), which was followed by cell shrinkage at 1 hr. A subsequent increase in cell volume occurred at approximately 6 hr, and the rise lasted for at least 24 hr. Cultures exposed to H(2)O(2) caused the activation of MAPKs (ERK1/2, JNK and p38-MAPK), whereas inhibition of MAPKs diminished cell swelling induced by 10 and 25 microM H(2)O(2). These findings suggest that activation of MAPKs is an important factor in the mediation of astrocyte swelling following oxidative stress.

Effect of free radical spin trap N-tert-butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone (PBN) on seizures induced in immature rats by homocysteic acid

The present study has examined the effect of free radical spin trap N-tert-butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone (PBN) in the model of seizures induced in immature 12-day-old rats by bilateral intracerebroventricular infusion of dl-homocysteic acid (dl-HCA, 600 nmol/side). PBN was given i.p. in two doses (100 mg/kg each), 30 min prior and 30 min after dl-HCA infusion. PBN did not significantly influence the severity of seizures, evident both from the behavioral symptoms and EEG recordings. PBN normalized decreased ATP levels in the hippocampus, occurring during the acute phase of seizures ( approximately 45-50 min after infusion) and persisting until the end of the 24-h recovery period. PBN also led to normalization of decreased glucose levels and to a significant reduction of lactate accumulation in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. The neuroprotective effect of PBN was evaluated after 24 h and 6 days of survival following dl-HCA-induced seizures (Nissl and Fluoro-Jade B staining). The administration of PBN resulted in a partial amelioration of severe damage observed in many brain regions following infusion of dl-HCA alone. The data suggest that increased free radical production is apparently occurring during seizures induced in immature rats by homocysteic acid. Free radical scavenger PBN had a clear-cut protective effect, evident as the improved recovery of brain energy status and as a partial, but significant, attenuation of neuronal degeneration associated with this model of seizures.

Brain Oxidative Stress Induced by Obstructive Jaundice in Rats

The effect of experimental obstructive jaundice on the oxidative status of brain tissues in rats was examined. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: Group I was the control, group II was the sham operated, and groups III and IV were bile duct ligated and killed on the 5th and the 10th day, respectively. Oxidative stress was assessed by measuring the thiol redox state (protein and nonprotein components) and lipid peroxidation level variations in samples from the cerebral cortex, midbrain, and cerebellar tissue in all animals. Results indicated the presence of oxidative stress in the jaundiced animals that was more pronounced on the 10th day as indicated by a decrease in reduced glutathione and protein thiol and an increase in protein disulphide and lipid peroxidation. A dramatic elevation of the level of total nonprotein mixed disulphide level was found specifically in the midbrain in the 10th day group. This suggests an accumulation of nonprotein disulfides other than oxidized glutathione, which remained unchanged, in this particular brain area. This study showed a correlation between experimental obstructive jaundice and the oxidative stress in the rats' brain, implying that a similar pathogenetic mechanism may play a key role in cholestatic liver disease, resulting in hepatic encephalopathy in humans.