In the rat brain, global hypoxia cause a delayed neuronal degeneration that occurs hours to days after reoxygenation. It is generally thought that the ischemic damage is initiated by neurotoxicity mediated through glutamate receptors, particulary NMDA subtypes. Calcium entry through the NMDA receptor is responsible for the synaptic plasiticity and neuronal pathology. Degradation of MAP-2 and NF200, a major components of neuronal cytoskeleton, by Ca2+-dependent protease after NMDA receptor activation has been postulated in delayed neuronal damage. Changes of NR subunit 2B, MAP2 and NF200 in rat brain postsynaptic density[PSD] after hypoxic injury were investigated through immunoblot analyses. To understand the effect of Ca2+ influx through NMDA receptors on neuronal damage which is manifested by cytoskeletal disruption, morphological change was examined through immunohistochemistry and H & E staining. We found that immunoreactivity to NR2B antibody in the cerebral cortex PSD was up-regulated while MAP2 and NF200 was down-regulated at 30 hours after initial hypoxic insult. At this time, morphological changes of neuronal cells in hypoxic conditions were manifested as down-regulation of MAP2 and NF200 immunoreactivities, hyperchromatic condensation of cytoplasm and nucleus, homogenizing cell change, expansion of perineuronal space and dispersion of chromatin. From 3 days, NR2B, MAP2, NF200 were up-regulated simultaneously. On the other hand, morphological alterations in hypoxic neurons were progress further. Our present results suggests that Calcium influx through NR1/NR2B receptor channel is effective whithin 30 hours but ineffective from 30 hours. Delayed neuronal cell death triggered by Ca2+ influx through NR1/NR2B receptor channel within 30 hours, which may activate intracellular profeases. Proteolysis of cytoskeleton by activated protease leads to its abnormal reorganization and eventually damages normal function of cell membrane which causes neuronal cell death.
Animals ; Anoxia ; Brain ; Calcium ; Cell Death ; Cell Membrane ; Cerebral Cortex* ; Chromatin ; Cytoplasm ; Cytoskeleton* ; Down-Regulation ; Hand ; Immunohistochemistry ; N-Methylaspartate* ; Neurons ; Pathology ; Proteolysis ; Rats* ; Receptors, Glutamate ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; Up-Regulation*

Transient cerebral ischemia was induced by bilateral common carotid artery ligation with reperfusion to understand its effect on the expression of NMDA receptor subunits 2A (NR2A), 2B (NR2B), and NF200 The changes of the expressions of NR2A, NR2B, and NF200 in cerebral postsynaptic density (PSD) were evaluated through immunoblot analyses. The expressions of NR2A and NF200 were markedly decreased until 18 hours after reperfusion, while that of NR2B was increased. The immunohistochemistry with NFIGO antibody showed that NF200 protein, which is a marker for neuronal damage, was also significantly decreased at this time point indicating neuronal damages, and the morphological damages of neuronal cells were evident by hyperchromatic condensation of nucleus, irregular cell membrane, displacement of nucleus, and chromatolysis of Nissl substances in toluidine blue stain. However, from 18 hours to 3 day after reperfusion, immunoblot analyses showed that NF200 was increased significantly, while the expression of NR2A were recovered to the control level and that of NR2B was returned to somewhat higher level than control. The NR1/NR2B-type receptor is known to have a longer offset decay time than NR1/NR2A-type ones, and to be more potent in Ca2 influxing. Therefore, our results suggest that, until 18 hours, neurons are damaged by overinflux of Ca2 through NR1/NR2B receptors which helps to degrade NF200 by Ca2 sensitive professes resulting in damages to intracellular transport. The fact that the expression of NF200 was increased even though the NR2A and NR2B are control level during 18 hours to 3 days after damage suggests that NMDA receptor subunits expressed at this time may not form functional receptors. The worsening of some neuronal damages after 3 days may indicate that an abnormal reorganization of elevated NF200 between 18 hours to 3 days further disturb intracellular transport and functions of cell membrane which cause cell death.
Animals ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Cell Death ; Cell Membrane ; Cerebral Cortex* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Ischemic Attack, Transient* ; Ligation ; N-Methylaspartate* ; Neurons ; Post-Synaptic Density ; Rats* ; Reperfusion ; Tolonium Chloride

In the rat brain, partial ischemia causes a delayed neuronal degeneration that occurs hours to days after reoxygenation. It is generally thought that the ischemic damage is initiated by neurotoxicity mediated through glutamate receptors, particulaly NMDA subtypes. Calcium entry through the NMDA receptor is responsible for the synaptic plasiticity and neuronal pathology. Degradation of MAP-2 and NF200, a major components of neuronal cytoskeleton, by Ca2+-dependent protease after NMDA receptor activation has been postulated in delayed neuronal damage. Calcium-activated protease calpain, excessive degradation of MAP-2, together with the calpain-sensitive microtubule and neurofilaments, would be expected to disrupt intracellular transport- and membrane-related functions that is vital to neurons. Changed of NR subunit 2A, 2B, MAP2 and NF200 in rat hippncampal postsynaptic density[PSD] after partial ischemic injury were investigated though immunoblot analyses. To understand the effect of Ca2+, influx through NMDA receptors on neuronal damage which is manifested by cytoskeletal disruption, morphological change was examined through immunohistochemistry and routine staining method. We found that immunoreactivity to NR2B receptor subuit in the hippocampal formation PSD was upregulated while MAP2 and NF200 was down-regulted at 18 hours after initial partial ischemic insult. On the other hand, morphological changes of neuronal cell in partial ischemic conditions were manifested as eosinophilic inclusion bodies in the cytoplasm which is progression of neuronal damage after 6 days. Calcium influx through NR1/NR2B receptor channel may activate intracellular proteases which would degrade cytoskeleton. Proteolysis of cytoskeleton leads to its reorganization and eventually damages normal function of cell membrane which cause neuronal cell death.
Animals ; Brain ; Calcium ; Calpain ; Cell Death ; Cell Membrane ; Cytoplasm ; Cytoskeleton ; Eosinophils ; Hand ; Hippocampus* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inclusion Bodies ; Ischemia ; Microtubules ; N-Methylaspartate ; Neurons ; Pathology ; Peptide Hydrolases ; Proteolysis* ; Rats* ; Receptors, Glutamate ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate

Ischemic brain hippocampal formation has been developed to understand the relationship between delayed neuronal damage and the expression of NMDA receptor subunits[NR2A, NR2B], MAP2, and NF200 in ttle conditions of hypoxia. Changes of NR subunits[NR2A, 2B], MAP2 6nd NF200 in rat brain postsynaptic density[PSD] after hypoxic injury were investigated through immunoblot analyses. To understand the effect of Ca2+ influx through NMDA receptors on neuronal damage which is manifested by morphological change, cytoskeletal disruption was examined through H & E, toluidine blue and immunohistochemical studies. The expression of NR2B was increased than normal at 30 hours after hypoxia. At this time, the expression of MAP2 and NF200 was markedly decreased and their morphology was more eosinophilic than normal and then became darker with expanded perineuronal space. Irreversible neuronal cell damage in hypoxic hippocampal formation is most prominent in CA3 region of hippocampus and the process is triggered by Ca2+ influx through NR1/MR2B receptor channel at 30 hour after initial hypoxic insult. Ca2+ influx through NR1/MR2B receptor channel may activate intracellular proteases which would degrade cytoskeleton. Proteolysis of cytoskeleton leads to its reorganization and eventually damages normal function of cell membrane which causes neuronal cell death. And, morphological changes of neuronal cells in hypoxic conditions were manifested as red neurons in the stage of reactive change, and as dark neuron in the stage of late hypoxic cell damage.
Animals ; Anoxia* ; Brain ; Cell Death ; Cell Membrane ; Cytoskeleton ; Eosinophils ; Hippocampus* ; N-Methylaspartate ; Neurons ; Peptide Hydrolases ; Proteolysis ; Rats* ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; Tolonium Chloride

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Nephrosis, Lipoid*

In the present studies, changes of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression in the astrocytes of the rat hippocampal formation were examined in response to the bilateral carotid artery occlusion for 10 minutes along with a decrease of mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) to 50 mmHg. Their relations to neuronal viability were also studied by H&E staining. In early postischemic period, mild increase of the GFAP expression was observed and this was not only confined to the mild-necrotic (CA3 and dentate gyrus) regions but also in the non-necrotic regions (CA1 and subiculum) at postischemic 8 h. This suggest that astrocytosis during early postischemic period may be resulted from nonspecific reaction associated with changes in brain environment. In contrast, in late phase of the postischemia, a marked increase of the GFAP expression was observed at day 4. Moreover, cell bodies were significantly larger and many prominent and numerous processes were observed, suggesting that this may also contribute to the significant increase in the GFAP expression. Importantly, these cellular changes were only confined to the regions of massive necrosis such as subiculum and inner granular cell layer of dentate gyrus and were not observed in the non-necrotic regions (except CA1). In contrast, the GFAP expression in astrocytes were returned to control levels in mildly damaged CA3 region by 4 days. Thus reactive astrocytosis with upregulation of the GFAP in the late postischemic period with structural transformation in the regions of massive necrosis may contribute to the damages in the neighboring neurons.
Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Astrocytes ; Brain ; Carotid Arteries ; Dentate Gyrus ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; Gliosis* ; Hippocampus* ; Necrosis ; Neurons ; Rats* ; Up-Regulation

PURPOSE: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-alpha) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Serum levels of TNF-alpha are elevated in many human cardiac related pathogenic conditions, including heart failure. It is well known that TNF-alpha inhibits myocardial contractility and induces apoptosis of adult rat cardiomyocytes via stimulation of TNF receptor 1. But pathophysiologically relevant low levels of TNF-alpha can not induce apoptosis of neonatal cardiomyocytes. So, we evaluated the effects of different concentrations of TNF-alpha in cultured rat neonatal cardiomyocytes : apoptosis or necrosis. METHODS: Neonatal ventricular myocytes were isolated from 3-day-old rats by stepwise collagenase dissociation, and the cells were cultured for 3 days. After that, cardiomyocytes were treated with low(25 ng/mL) and high(250 ng/mL) concentration of TNF-alpha for 48 hours. Apoptosis was determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transfer-mediated end labelling(TUNEL) staining, and cell viability was evaluated by lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) measurements using cell culture supernatants. RESULTS: Low dose TNF-alpha did not induce apoptosis compared with controls(10.5 +/- 3.5% : 10.4 +/- 4.3%). And high dose TNF-alpha also did not induce significant apoptosis(10.2 +/- 3.6% : 10.4 +/- 4.3%). There was no detectable morphological changes of cardiomyocytes after low and high concentration of TNF-alpha treatment. LDH levels after TNF-alpha treatment was not significant compared with control(control : low : high, 3.2 +/- 0.1% : 3.1 +/- 0.2% : 3.3 +/- 0.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that high concentration of TNF-alpha alone can not induce apoptosis and significant cytotoxicity in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.
Adult ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Survival ; Collagenases ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; Muscle Cells ; Myocytes, Cardiac* ; Necrosis ; Rats* ; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

This study investigated the differences in the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) between patients with and without the involvement of Broca's area (IBA).The medical records of 20 stroke patients treated with rTMS for non-fluent aphasia were reviewed. Patients completed the Korean version of the Western Aphasia Battery (K-WAB) pre- and post-rTMS. Magnetic resonance T1-weighted images of the brain were analyzed using SPM12 software. Montreal Neurological Institute templates and Talairach coordinates were used to determine Broca's area involvement and segregate patients into 2 groups: IBA and non-IBA (NBA) groups. All statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software.Twenty subjects were included in the study. The K-WAB scores revealed improvements in the total subjects and IBA and NBA groups. There were no statistical differences between the IBA and NBA groups in the ΔK-WAB scores of aphasia quotient, fluency, comprehension, repetition, and naming. The rTMS was positive for non-fluent aphasia patients, but there was no significant difference in effectiveness depending on the IBA. Further research with a larger number of patients is needed to identify the differences in the effect of rTMS on the IBA.

Merkel cell carcinoma, also known as neuroendocrine carcinoma of skin is now well recognized entity of malignant skin tumor to clinicians and pathologists. A few cases have been reported up to now in the literature, but the information regarding the appropriate treatment modalities have not been obtained in detail. The clinical, histologic and ultrastructural features and the treatment of a case of primary Merkel cell carcinoma of eyelid in a 75 year-old male is presented.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Merkel Cell* ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; Eyelids* ; Humans ; Male ; Skin

OBJECTIVES: Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES) is one of the most frequently used scales to evaluate apathy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the AES (K-AES) and to apply the K-AES in examining the characteristics of apathy in the Korean patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: 129 healthy people and 29 patients with schizophrenia have been evaluated using the K-AES, Physical Anhedonia Scale (PAS), Social Anhedonia Scale (SAS), and the Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). Split-half reliability and internal consistency were evaluated and factor analysis and correlation analysis was conducted. Between-group comparison was conducted using independent sample t-tests. RESULTS: K-AES showed good reliability and validity. Factor analysis confirmed 3 factors, which represented interest and drive, initiative, self-awareness and self-assessment. Patients with schizophrenia showed significantly higher K-AES and BDI scores than the healthy group. K-AES scores in patients with schizophrenia were significantly correlated with the PAS score, but did not correlate with SAS and BDI scores. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the reliability and validity of the K-AES. Our findings also suggest that the K-AES may be a reliable instrument in assessing apathy as a negative symptom in patients with schizophrenia.
Anhedonia ; Apathy* ; Depression ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Humans ; Reproducibility of Results* ; Schizophrenia* ; Self-Assessment ; Weights and Measures