Objective The potential of all central nervous system synapses to exhibit long term potentiation (LTP) or long term depression (LTD) is subject to modulation by prior synaptic activity, a higher-order form of plasticity that has been termed metaplasticity. This study is designed to examine the plasticity and metaplasticity in the lateral perforant path of rat. Methods Field potential was measured with different priming and conditioning stimulation protocols. Results Ten-hertz priming, which does not affect basal synaptic transmission, caused a dramatic reduction in subsequent LTP at lateral perforant path synapses in vitro, and the reduced LTP lasted for at least 2 h. The LTD was unaffected. The reduction of LTP in the lateral perforant path was also readily induced by applying priming antidromically at the mossy fibers. Conclusion Priming with 10 Hz, which is within a frequency range observed during physiological activity, can cause potent, long-lasting inhibition of LTP, but not LTD. This form of metaplasticity adds a layer of complexity to the activity-dependent modification of synapses within the dentate gyrus.

Objective The microglias is the representative of immune cells in the brain. It plays dual roles of both repairing and damaging in injured nervous system, and works as an inevitable component of the circumstance of injured neurons. This study was aiming at the effects of the microglias on the biological activities of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the circumstance of injured neurons. Methods MSCs were obtained by primary culture. We adopted PC12 cells (PC12) and BV2 cells (BV2) to substitute for neurons and microglias, respectively. PC12 were injured by aged Abeta(1-40) and the supernatant of the injured PC12 was used to set up the circumstance of injured neurons. Transwells were used for co-culture of BV2 and MSCs, which allowed the independent detection of cells after co-culture. Immunofluorescence was used to identify MSCs and neuron-differentiating cells with CD44 and neuron specific enolase (NSE) staining, respectively. MTT assay was adopted to measure the proliferation. Results In the circumstance of both BV2 presence and injured PC12 supernatant incubation, either the proliferation or the differentiation of MSCs reached the highest, which seemed to be contradictory, but we gave our explanations. With the BV2 co-culture, the proliferation of MSCs tend to be higher, but the neuron-differentiating MSCs were similar to those incubated without BV2 co-culture either in normal or injured in PC12 supernatant. With the incubation of injured PC12 supernatant, the neuron-differentiating cells were significantly higher than that of control (P < 0.05). Conclusion In the circumstance of injured neurons, microlgias tend to promote the MSCs proliferation. Although not helpful in neuron-differentiating, microglias did not exert any negative effect either.

Objective To investigate the role of activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) in spinal cord in the development of cystic pain in rabbit. Methods We observed the relationship between the activation of ERK1/2 in spinal cord and nociceptive behaviors, as well as the effect of U0126, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK, upstream protein of ERK1/2) inhibitor, on cystic pain in rabbits by behavioral test, immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. Results After injecting 0.5 ml formalin into gallbladder, the behaviors such as grasping of the cheek and licking of the abdomen increased in 30 min, with a significant increase in pERK1/2 expression in the spinal cord, as well as the pERK1/2 immunoreactive cells located in laminae V-VII and X of the dorsal horn and ventral horn of T6 spinal cord. Administration of U0126 (100 - 400 mu g/kg body weight, i.v., 10 min before instillation of formalin) could attenuated nociceptive behaviors dose-dependently, but could not restrain the nociceptive behaviors completely even at the maximal efficient dose of 400 mu g/kg body weight. Conclusion Activated ERK1/2 in the spinal cord at least partly participates in the development of acute inflammatory cystic pain induced by formalin in rabbits.

Objective To investigate the role of H(1) and H(2) receptors in the locus ceruleus (LC) in carotid sinus baroreceptor reflex (CSR) resetting induced by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of histamine (HA). Methods The left and right carotid sinus regions were isolated from the systemic circulation in 18 male Sprague-Dawley rats anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium. The intracarotid sinus pressure (ISP) was altered in a stepwise manner in vivo. ISP-mean arterial pressure (MAP) relationship curve and its characteristic parameters were constructed by fitting to the logistic function with five parameters. The changes in CSR performance induced by i.c.v. HA and the effects of pretreatment with H(1) or H(2) receptors selective antagonist, chlorpheniramine (CHL) or cimetidine (CIM) into the LC, on the responses of CSR to HA were examined. Results I.c.v. HA (100 ng in 5 mu l) significantly shifted the ISP-MAP relationship curve upwards (P < 0.05) and obviously decreased the value of the reflex parameters such as MAP range and maximum gain (P < 0.05), but increased the threshold pressure, saturation pressure and ISP at maximum gain (P < 0.05). The pretreatment with CHL (0.5 mu g in 1 mu l) or CIM (1.5 mu g in 1 mu l) into the LC could obviously attenuate the changes mentioned above in CSR performance induced by HA, but the alleviative effect of CIM was less remarkable than that of CHL (P < 0.05). Respective microinjection of CHL or CIM alone into the LC with the corresponding dose and volume did not change CSR performance significantly (P > 0.05). Conclusion Intracerebroventricular administration of HA results in a rapid resetting of CSR and a decrease in reflex sensitivity, and the responses of CSR to HA may be mediated, at least in part, by H(1) and H(2) receptors activities in the LC, especially by H(1) receptors. Moreover, the effects of the central HA on CSR might be related to a histaminergic descending pathway from the hypothalamus to LC.

Objective Aims to delineate the distribution profile of three isoforms of vesicular glutamate transporter (VGluT), viz. VGluT1-3, and their cellular localization within vestibular nuclear complex (VNC). Methods Brain sections from normal Sprague-Dawley rats were processed immunohistochemically for VGluT detection, employing avidin-biotinylated peroxidase complex method with 3-3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB) as chromogen. Results The whole VNC expressed all of the three transporters that were observed to be localized to the fiber endings. Compared with VGluT1 and VGluT3, VGluT2 demonstrated a relatively homogeneous distribution, with much higher density in VNC. VGluT3 displayed the highest density in lateral vestibular nucleus and group X, contrasting with the sparse immunostained puncta within vestibular medial and inferior nuclei. Conclusion Glutamtatergic pathways participate in the processing of vestibular signals within VNC mainly through the re-uptake of glutamate into synaptic vesicles by VGluT1 and 2, whereas VGluT3 may play a similar role mainly in areas other than medial and inferior nuclei of VNC.

Objective To explore the possible role of voltage-gated potassium channel-interacting protein 1 (KChIP1) in the pathogenesis of epilepsy. Methods Sprague Dawley female adult rats were treated with pentylenettrazole (PTZ) to develop acute and chronic epilepsy models. The approximate coronal sections of normal and epilepsy rat brain were processed for immunohistochemistry. Double-labeling confocal microscopy was used to determine the coexistence of KChIP1 and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Results KChIP1 was expressed abundantly throughout adult rat brain. KChIP1 is highly co-localize with GABA transmitter in hippocampus and cerebral cortex. In the acute PTZ-induced convulsive rats, the number of KChIP1-postive cells was significantly increased especially in the regions of CA1 and CA3 (P < 0.05); whereas the chronic PTZ-induced convulsive rats were found no changes. The number of GABA-labeled and co-labeled neurons in the hippocampus appeared to have no significant alteration responding to the epilepsy-genesis treatments. Conclusion KChIP1 might be involved in the PTZ-induced epileptogenesis process as a regulator to neuronal excitability through influencing the properties of potassium channels. KChIP1 is preferentially expressed in GABAergic neurons, but its changes did not couple with GABA in the epileptic models.

Objective To screen and identify genetic loci affecting the active zone formation in C. elegans. Methods A SYD-2::GFP reporter was constructed and used as an active zone marker for forward genetic screen to identify genetic loci affecting the active zone formation. Results Eight isolated mutant alleles were characterized from 15,000 haploid genomes. The SYD-2::GFP phenotypes of these mutants are mainly reflected as the changes of number, morphology, distribution of puncta and the gaps appearance. Some mutants also exhibit visible behavioral or physical phenotypes, and aldicarb resistant or sensitive phenotypes. Conclusion These mutants provide the opportunity for further systematic research on the active zone formation and the neurotransmission.

The recent progress in neural stem cells (NSCs) research has shed lights on possibility of repair and restoration of neuronal function in neurodegenerative diseases using stem cells. Induction of stem cells differentiate into mature neurons is critical to achieve the clinical applications of NSCs. At present, molecular mechanisms modulating NSC differentiation are not fully understood. Differentiation of stem cells into neuronal and glial cells involves an array of changes in expression of transcription factors. Transcription factors then trigger the expression of a variety of central nervous system (CNS) genes that lead NSCs to differentiate towards different cell types. In this paper, we summarized the recent findings on the gene regulation of NSCs differentiation into neuronal cells.

Objective To observe the influence of rotenone on the distribution of alpha-synuclein (ASN) in rat model of Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups and received 2 mg/kg rotenone (s.c.) or sunflower oil (as control group) for about 4 weeks. The hippocampus, substantia nigra and striatum of brain were observed. Hematoxylin and eosin stain were used to observe the Lewy body like inclusion. The expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) or ASN protein was determined by anti-TH or anti-alpha-synuclein immunohistochemistry, respectively. Results In control rats, ASN protein distributed widely in brain, especially in hippocampus, cortex and striatum. Rotenone obviously increased TH positive neurons and fibers loss in substantia nigra and striatum (P < 0.05). In rotenone treated rats, ASN positive cells increased in global brain but not distributed in an even manner. In substantia nigra, ASN positive stuff was found aggregate in both cytoplasm and nucleus, and some formed spherical inclusion; in striatum, ASN positive neurites end aggregated and agglomerated around neurons; and in hippocampus, few dot-like ASN were aggregated in cell body, and no notable change was found in nucleus. Conclusion In rotenone administrated PD rats, ASN protein aggregated in several brain regions but most obviously in striatum and substantia nigra, and the distribution region of ASN was changed from peri-synapse to the cytoplasm and nucleus of dopaminergic neuron.

Objective To investigate the effects of 14-3-3 protein overexpression on the 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)) induced pheochromocytoma (PC12) cell death and the potential mechanisms. Methods pcDNA3.1(+)-14-3-3 plasmids, which could be expressed in mammalian cell, were constructed and transfected into PC12 cells with Lipofectamine 2000. The expression of 14-3-3 protein, Bcl-2 protein, and BAD protein were determined by western blot. 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, microplate reader, and flow cytometric analysis were used to measure cell viability, the caspase activity, and apoptotic ratio respectively. Results (1) The expression of 14-3-3 protein increased significantly three weeks after pcDNA3.1 (+)-14-3-3 plasmids transfected into PC12 cells. (2) MPP(+) caused a decrease of cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. At 100 mu mol/L MPP(+), cell viability reduced approximately 50%. (3) The caspase activity increased along with the MPP(+) concentrations rising and reached its maximum value (0.34 mu mol/mg protein) at 100 mu mol/L MPP(+). However caspase activity decreased significantly when the MPP(+) concentration exceeded 100 mu mol/L. (4) Overexpression of 14-3-3 protein decreased the apoptosis ratio of PC12 cells treated with 100 mu mol/L MPP(+) from 26.5% to 8.6%. (5) Bcl-2 protein tended to decrease but BAD protein tended to increase after treatment of PC12 cells with 100 mu mol/L MPP(+). Overexpression of 14-3-3 protein significantly increased the cellular level of Bcl-2 protein and decreased that of BAD protein. Conclusion Overexpression of 14-3-3 protein may reduce MPP(+)-induced apoptotic cell death in PC12 cells by up-regulating the Bcl-2 expression and down-regulating the BAD expression. These results may provide a promising target for treatment of Parkinson' s disease.