In order to observe neuronal toxical effect of Levodopa and investigate if using Levodopa together with Ginkgo Bilobar Extract (EGb) would be an workable method to treat Parkinson disease, rat models of Parkinson disease (PD) were made by injecting 6-OHDA stereotaxically to right side of the mesencephic ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). Rotational behavioral observation, TUNEL, immunocytochemistry, Nissl's body staining were performed to measure the difference between group treated by Levodopa (50 mg/kg every day for 3 days, 5 days, 7 days, L-dopa group) and group treated by Levodopa combined with EGb (100 mg/kg every day, E-D group). The results showed that in the L-dopa group, the numbers of apoptosis of substantial nigra, rings of rotational behavior were more than those in the E-D group (P < 0.05). The numbers of Nissl's cells in L-dopa group were fewer than in E-D group (P < 0.05). The results suggested that Levodopa had neur toxic effect and EGb may decrease the toxicity of levodopa. The combined use of EGb with Levodopa may be a workable method to treat PD and may be better than using Levodopa alone.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Dihydroxyphenylalanine ; metabolism ; Drug Interactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Ginkgo biloba ; Levodopa ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; toxicity ; Male ; Neurons ; drug effects ; Oxidopamine ; Parkinson Disease ; metabolism ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Substantia Nigra ; pathology

To investigate the distribution of possible novel mutations from parkin gene in variant subset of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in China and explore whether parkin gene plays an important role in the pathogenesis of PD, 70 patients were divided into early-onset group and late-onset group; 70 healthy subjects were included as controls. Genomic DNA from 70 normal controls and from those of PD patients were extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes by using standard procedures. Mutations of parkin gene (exon 1-12) in all the subjects were screened by PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), and further sequencing was performed in the samples with abnormal SSCP results, in order to confirm the mutation and its location. A new missense mutation Gly284Arg in a patient and 3 abnormal bands in SSCP electrophoresis from samples of another 3 patients were found. All the DNA variants were sourced from the samples of the patients with early-onset PD. It was concluded that Parkin point mutation also partially contributes to the development of early-onset Parkinson's disease in Chinese.
DNA Mutational Analysis ; Exons ; Genotype ; Parkinson Disease/*genetics ; *Point Mutation ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases/biosynthesis ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases/*genetics

Regulation of the adhesion molecules expression by cytokine in vascular endothelial cells was investigated. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were stimulated with cytokines, TNF-α (1-250 U/ml) or IL-1β (0.1-50 U/ml) for 24 h. HUVEC were also cultured with cytokines, TNF-α (100 U/ml) or IL-1β (10 U/ml), for 4-72 h, cell surface expression of adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and VCAM-1) were detected and quantitated by immunocytochemical methods and computerized imaging analysis technique. Adhesion molecules expression were up-regulated by TNF-α, IL-1β in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Some significant differences were observed between the effects of cytokines on the ICAM-1 and on VCAM-1 expression. Cytokines might directly induce the expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in vascular endothelial cells. Our observations indicate differential functions of the two adhesion molecules during the evolution of inflammatory responses in stroke.

Regulation of the adhesion molecules expression by cytokine in vascular endothelial cells was investigated. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were stimulated with cytokines, TNF-α (1-250 U/ml) or IL-1β (0.1-50 U/ml) for 24 h. HUVEC were also cultured with cytokines, TNF-α (100 U/ml) or IL-1β (10 U/ml), for 4-72 h, cell surface expression of adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and VCAM-1) were detected and quantitated by immunocytochemical methods and computerized imaging analysis technique. Adhesion molecules expression were up-regulated by TNF-α, IL-1β in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Some significant differences were observed between the effects of cytokines on the ICAM-1 and on VCAM-1 expression. Cytokines might directly induce the expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in vascular endothelial cells. Our observations indicate differential functions of the two adhesion molecules during the evolution of inflammatory responses in stroke.

Adolescent ; Blood Cell Count ; Child ; Copper ; blood ; Electromagnetic Fields ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Iron ; blood ; Magnesium ; blood ; Male ; Students ; Trace Elements ; blood ; Zinc ; blood

Under global cerebral ischemia, the effect of different brain temperature on cerebral ischemic injury was studied. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normothermic (37-38°C) ischemia, mild hypothermic (31-32°C) ischemia, hyperthermic (41-42°C) ischemia and sham-operated groups. Global cerebral ischemia was established using the Pulsinelli four-vessel occlusion model and brain temperature was maintained at defined level for 60 min after 20-min ischemia. The expression of c-fos protein and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate in brain regions were detected by immunochemistry and spectrophotometrical methods, respectively. C-fos positive neurons were found in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex after cerebral ischemia reperfusion. Mild hypothermia increased the expression of c-fos protein in both areas, whereas hyperthermia decreased the expression of c-fos protein in the hippocampus at 24 h reperfusion, and the cerebral cortex at 48 h reperfusion when compared to normothermic conditions. In normothermic, mild hypothermic and hyperthermic ischemia groups, the levels of MDA and lactate in brain tissue were increased at 24, 48 and 72 h reperfusion following 20-min ischemia as compared with the sham-operated group (P<0.01). The levels of MDA and lactate in mild hypothermic group were significantly lower than those in normothermic group (P<0.01). It is suggested that brain temperature influences the translation of the immunoreactive protein product of c-fos after global cerebral ischemia, and MDA and lactate are also affected by hypothermia and hyperthermia.

Adult ; Aged ; Exons ; Female ; Gene Deletion ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Parkinson Disease ; genetics ; Point Mutation ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases ; genetics

BACKGROUNDThe optimal time window for the administration of hypothermia following cerebral ischemia has been studied for decades, with disparity outcomes. In this study, the efficacy of mild brain hypothermia beginning at different time intervals on brain endogenous antioxidant enzyme and energy metabolites was investigated in a model of global cerebral ischemia.

METHODSForty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a sham-operated group, a normothermia (37°C - 38°C) ischemic group and a mild hypothermic (31°C - 32°C) ischemia groups. Rats in the last group were subdivided into four groups: 240 minutes of hypothermia, 30 minutes of normothermia plus 210 minutes of hypothermia, 60 minutes of normothermia plus 180 minutes of hypothermia and 90 minutes of normothermia plus 150 minutes of hypothermia (n = 8). Global cerebral ischemia was established using the Pulsinelli four-vessel occlusion model for 20 minutes and mild hypothermia was applied after 20 minutes of ischemia. Brain tissue was collected following 20 minutes of cerebral ischemia and 240 minutes of reperfusion, and used to measure the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), reduced glutathione (GSH) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

RESULTSMild hypothermia that was started within 0 to 60 minutes delayed the consumption of SOD, GSH-Px, GSH, and ATP (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) in ischemic tissue, as compared to a normothermic ischemia group. In contrast, mild hypothermia beginning at 90 minutes had little effect on the levels of SOD, GSH-Px, GSH, and ATP (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPostischemic mild brain hypothermia can significantly delay the consumption of endogenous antioxidant enzymes and energy metabolites, which are critical to the process of cerebral protection by mild hypothermia. These results show that mild hypothermia limits ischemic injury if started within 60 minutes, but loses its protective effects when delayed until 90 minutes following cerebral ischemia.

Adenosine Triphosphate ; metabolism ; Animals ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Brain Ischemia ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Glutathione ; metabolism ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Hypothermia, Induced ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Temperature

BACKGROUNDPrevious studies have indicated that thrombin (TM) may play a major role in brain edema after intracerebral hemorrhages (ICHs). However, the mechanism of TM-induced brain edema is poorly understood. In this study, we explored the effect of TM on the permeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB) and investigated its possible mechanism, aiming at providing a potential target for brain edema therapy after ICHs.

METHODSTM or TM + cathepsin G (CATG) was stereotaxically injected into the right caudate nucleus of Sprague-Dawley rats in vivo. BBB permeability was measured by Evans-Blue extravasation. Brain water content was determined by the dry-wet weight method. Brain microvascular endothelial cells were then cultured in vitro. After TM or TM + CATG was added to the endothelial cell medium, changes in the morphology of cells were dynamically observed by phase-contrast light microscopy, and the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) protein was measured by immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSBBB permeability increased at 6 hours after a TM injection into the ipsilateral caudate nucleus (P < 0.05), peaked between 24 hours (P < 0.01) and 48 hours (P < 0.05) after the injection, and then declined. Brain water content changed in parallel with the changes in BBB permeability. However, at all time points, BBB permeability and brain water content after a TM + CATG injection were not significantly different from the respective parameters in the control group (P > 0.05). TM induced endothelial cell contraction in vitro in a time-dependent manner and enhanced the expression of MMP-2 protein. After incubation with TM + CATG, cell morphology and MMP-2 expression did not change significantly as compared to the control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIncreased BBB permeability may be one of the mechanisms behind TM-induced cerebral edema. TM induces endothelial cell contraction and promotes MMP-2 expression by activating protease activated receptor-1 (PAR-1), possibly leading to the opening of the BBB.

Animals ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; drug effects ; Body Water ; metabolism ; Brain Edema ; etiology ; Cathepsin G ; Cathepsins ; pharmacology ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; complications ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; analysis ; Permeability ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, PAR-1 ; physiology ; Serine Endopeptidases ; Thrombin ; toxicity

Under global cerebral ischemia, the effect of different brain temperature on cerebral ischemic injury was studied. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normothermic (37-38°C) ischemia, mild hypothermic (31-32°C) ischemia, hyperthermic (41-42°C) ischemia and sham-operated groups. Global cerebral ischemia was established using the Pulsinelli four-vessel occlusion model and brain temperature was maintained at defined level for 60 min after 20-min ischemia. The expression of c-fos protein and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate in brain regions were detected by immunochemistry and spectrophotometrical methods, respectively. C-fos positive neurons were found in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex after cerebral ischemia reperfusion. Mild hypothermia increased the expression of c-fos protein in both areas, whereas hyperthermia decreased the expression of c-fos protein in the hippocampus at 24 h reperfusion, and the cerebral cortex at 48 h reperfusion when compared to normothermic conditions. In normothermic, mild hypothermic and hyperthermic ischemia groups, the levels of MDA and lactate in brain tissue were increased at 24, 48 and 72 h reperfusion following 20-min ischemia as compared with the sham-operated group (P<0.01). The levels of MDA and lactate in mild hypothermic group were significantly lower than those in normothermic group (P<0.01). It is suggested that brain temperature influences the translation of the immunoreactive protein product of c-fos after global cerebral ischemia, and MDA and lactate are also affected by hypothermia and hyperthermia.
Animals ; Body Temperature ; Brain ; blood supply ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Brain Ischemia ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Cerebral Cortex ; blood supply ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Hippocampus ; blood supply ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Immunochemistry ; Lactic Acid ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Spectrophotometry ; Temperature ; Time Factors ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism