p38 MAPK inhibitor SB202190 suppresses ferroptosis in the glutamate-induced retinal excitotoxicity glaucoma model

Glutamate excitotoxicity has been shown to play an important role in glaucoma, and glutamate can induce ferroptosis. The p38 mitogenactivated protein kinase(MAPK) pathway inhibitor SB202190 has a potential ability to suppress ferroptosis, and its downstream targets, such as p53, have been shown to be associated with ferroptosis. However, whether ferroptosis also occurs in retinal ganglion cells in response to glutamate excitotoxicity and whether inhibition of ferroptosis reduces the loss of retinal ganglion cells induced by glutamate excitotoxicity remain unclear. This study investigated ferroptosis in a glutamate-induced glaucoma rat model and explored the effects and molecular mechanisms of SB202190 on retinal ganglion cells. A glutamate-induced excitotoxicity model in R28 cells and an N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced glaucoma model in rats were used. In vitro experiments showed that glutamate induced the accumulation of iron and lipid peroxide and morphological changes of mitochondria in R28 cells, and SB202190 inhibited these changes. Glutamate induced the levels of p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK and SAT1 and decreased the expression levels of ferritin light chain, SLC7A11, and GPX4. SB202190 inhibited the expression of iron death-related proteins induced by glutamate. In vivo experiments showed that SB202190 attenuated N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced damage to rat retinal ganglion cells and improved visual function. These results suggest that SB202190 can inhibit ferroptosis and protect retinal ganglion cells by regulating ferritin light chain, SAT1, and SLC7A11/Gpx4 pathways and may represent a potential retina protectant.

Adenosine A_(2A)receptor blockade attenuates excitotoxicity in rat striatal medium spiny neurons during an ischemic-like insult

During brain ischemia,excitotoxicity and peri-infarct depolarization injuries occur and cause cerebral tissue damage.Indeed,anoxic depolarization,consisting of massive neuronal depolarization due to the loss of membrane ion gradients,occurs in vivo or in vitro during an energy failure.The neuromodulator adenosine is released in huge amounts during cerebral ischemia and exerts its effects by activating specific metabotropic receptors,namely:A_(1),A_(2A),A_(2B),and A_(3).The A_(2A)receptor subtype is highly expressed in striatal medium spiny neurons,which are particularly susceptible to ischemic damage.Evidence indicates that the A2Areceptors are upregulated in the rat striatum after stroke and the selective antagonist SCH58261 protects from exaggerated glutamate release within the first 4 hours from the insult and alleviates neurological impairment and histological injury in the following 24 hours.We recently added new knowledge to the mechanisms by which the adenosine A2Areceptor subtype participates in ischemia-induced neuronal death by performing patch-clamp recordings from medium spiny neurons in rat striatal brain slices exposed to oxygen and glucose deprivation.We demonstrated that the selective block of A2Areceptors by SCH58261 significantly reduced ionic imbalance and delayed the anoxic depolarization in medium spiny neurons during oxygen and glucose deprivation and that the mechanism involves voltage-gated K+channel modulation and a presynaptic inhibition of glutamate release by the A2Areceptor antagonist.The present review summarizes the latest findings in the literature about the possibility of developing selective ligands of A2Areceptors as advantageous therapeutic tools that may contribute to counteracting neurodegeneration after brain ischemia.

Exploration of the glutamate-mediated retinal excitotoxic damage: a rat model of retinal neurodegeneration

AIM： To explore the more suitable concentration of glutamate or N-methyl-D-aspartic acid（NMDA） for intravitreal injection to establish a rat model of retinal neurodegeneration. METHODS： We injected different doses of glutamate（20 or 50 nmol） or NMDA（40 nmol） into the vitreous chambers of rats, then measured the concentration of glutamate and retinal thickness, quantified apoptotic cells and determined the degree of tau hyperphosphorylation at different time points. T-test was used for comparison of two groups. One-way ANOVA and Turkey＇s multiple comparisons test were used for comparisons of different groups, and P values below 0.05 were considered statistically significant.RESULTS： The glutamate level in the rats treated with 50 nmol of glutamate was twice that of the control group and persisted two weeks. Seven days after intravitreal injection of 50 nmol of glutamate, three parameters [inner retinal thickness（IRT）, retinal thickness（RT） and ganglion cell layer（GCL） cell number] were reduced significantly. Furthermore, numerous TUNEL-positive cells were observed in the GCL one day after intravitreal injection of 50 nmol of glutamate, the expression of the apoptosisrelated factor cleaved casepase-3 was markedly increased compared with the expression levels in the other treatment groups, and the expression levels of tau s396 and tau s404 were significantly increased compared with those in the control group.CONCLUSION： This study demonstrates that the intravitreal injection of 50 nmol of glutamate can establish the more effective retinal neurodegeneration animal model relative to other treatment groups.

Baicalin protects neonatal rat brains against hypoxicischemic injury by upregulating glutamate transporter 1 via the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway

Baicalin is a flavonoid compound extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis root.Recent evidence indicates that baicalin is neuroprotective in models of ischemic stroke.Here,we investigate the neuroprotective effect of baicalin in a neonatal rat model of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.Seven-day-old pups underwent left common carotid artery ligation followed by hypoxia（8% oxygen at 37°C） for 2 hours,before being injected with baicalin（120 mg/kg intraperitoneally） and examined 24 hours later.Baicalin effectively reduced cerebral infarct volume and neuronal loss,inhibited apoptosis,and upregulated the expression of p-Akt and glutamate transporter 1.Intracerebroventricular injection of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B（PI3 K/Akt） inhibitor LY294002 30 minutes before injury blocked the effect of baicalin on p-Akt and glutamate transporter 1,and weakened the associated neuroprotective effect.Our findings provide the first evidence,to our knowledge that baicalin can protect neonatal rat brains against hypoxic-ischemic injury by upregulating glutamate transporter 1 via the PI3 K/Akt signaling pathway.

In vitro neuroprotective effects of ciliary neurotrophic factor on dorsal root ganglion neurons with glutamate-induced neurotoxicity

Ciliary neurotrophic factor has neuroprotective effects mediated through signal transducer and Janus kinase（JAK） 2/activator of transcription 3（STAT3） and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase（PI3 K）/Akt signaling pathways.Whether ciliary neurotrophic factor is neuroprotective for glutamate-induced excitotoxicity of dorsal root ganglion neurons is poorly understood.In the present study,the in vitro neuroprotective effects of ciliary neurotrophic factor against glutamate-induced excitotoxicity were determined in a primary culture of dorsal root ganglion neurons from Wistar rat embryos at embryonic day 15.Whether the JAK2/STAT3 and PI3 K/Akt signaling pathways were related to the protective effects of ciliary neurotrophic factor was also determined.Glutamate exposure inhibited neurite outgrowth,cell viability,and growth-associated protein 43 expression and promoted apoptotic neuronal cell death,all of which were reversed by the administration of exogenous ciliary neurotrophic factor.Additionally,preincubation with either JAK2 inhibitor AG490 or PI3 K inhibitor LY294002 blocked the neuroprotective effect of ciliary neurotrophic factor.These data indicate that the two pathways JAK2/STAT3 and PI3 K/Akt play major roles in mediating the in vitro neuroprotective effects of ciliary neurotrophic factor on dorsal root ganglion neurons with glutamate-induced neurotoxicity.

PSD95 Gene Specific siRNAs Attenuate Neuropathic Pain through Modulating Neuron Sensibility and Postsynaptic CaMKIIα Phosphorylation

Objective To observe the effects of PSD95 gene specific siRNAs on neuropathic pain relief, neuron viability, and postsynaptic calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIα (CaMKIIα) phosphorylation in vitro and in vivo. Methods Gene-specific siRNAs of rat PSD95 were synthesized chemically for transfection. Adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: nave group (n=6), sham group (n=6), and sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI) group (n=24). The CCI group was further divided into 4 groups (n=6 in each group), which were pretreated with normal saline, transfection vehicle, negative control siRNAs, and PSD95 gene specific siRNAs respectively. All the subgroups received corresponding agents intrathecally for 3 days, started one day before the CCI of sciatic nerve. Both mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia were measured on post-operative day 3 and 7. PSD95 gene silenced NG108-15 cells were further stimulated by glutamate, with the cell viability and the expression/phosphorylation of CaMKIIα measured by MTT cell proliferation assay and Western blot, respectively. Results The siRNAs decreased PSD95 mRNA level significantly both in vivo and in vitro. Neuropathic pain rats pretreated with PSD95 gene specific siRNAs exhibited significant elevation in the mechanical withdrawal threshold and paw withdrawal thermal latency, without affecting the baseline nociception. PSD95 gene silencing enhanced neuronal tolerance against the glutamate excitotoxicity, meanwhile the phosphorylation of CaMKIIα Thr286 was attenuated. Conclusion Pre-emptive administration of PSD95 gene specific siRNAs may attenuate the central sensitization CaMKIIα-related signaling cascades, leading to the relief of neuropathic pain.

Effect of 17β-estradiol on the Brain Damage and Metabolic Changes in Rats

An in vivo model of glutamate excitotoxicity in which glutamate is applied to the cortex of rats through a microdialysis probe has been used to investigate the neuroprotective processes initiated by 17β estradiol. Rats were pre treated with 17β estradiol i.v. before local application of glutamate. The experimental results showed that pre treatment with 17β estradiol significantly reduced the size of the glutamate induced lesion. In the microdialysates, the peak of lactate observed immediately after glutamate application was significantly higher and longer lasting after 17β estradiol pre treatment. The level of extracellular glucose was markedly decreased concomitantly to the increase in lactate, but no difference could be observed with and without 17β estradiol pre treatment. These suggest a new neuroprotective mechanism of 17β estradiol by activating glutamate induced lactate production. This effect on lactate production and lesion reduction is estrogen receptor dependent and is abolished totally by estrogen antagonist tamoxifen. It was also demonstrated here that high lactate subserves estrogen neuroprotection during glutamate toxicity.

Speedy/RINGO: a molecular savior in spinal cord injury-based neurodegeneration?

Endogenous or exogenous insults can cause spinal cord injury(SCI),often resulting in the loss of motor,autonomic,sensory and reflex functions.The pathogenesis of SCI comprises two stages.The primary injury stage occurs at the moment of trauma and is characterized by hemorrhage and rapid cell death.The secondary injury stage occurs due to progression of primary damage and is characterized by tissue loss and functional disorder.One of the most important cellular mechanisms underlying secondary injury is glutamate excitotoxicity,which overactivates the calpain protease via excessive Ca2+influx and induces neuronal apoptosis via p53 induction.Furthermore,Ca2+influx elicits apoptosis by inducing p53,thus negatively affecting two pathways:the mitogenic extracellular signal-regulated kinase/mitogenactivated protein kinase(ERK/MAPK)pathway and the survival phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/AKT)pathway.Speedy/rapid inducer of G2/M progression in oocytes(Speedy/RINGO)is a cell cycle regulatory protein that increases survival of p53-positive mitotic cells by inhibiting the apoptotic machinery.Moreover,this protein elicits p53-dependent anti-apoptotic effects on calpain-induced degeneration of primary hippocampal neurons,amyotrophic lateral sclerosis motor neurons,and astrocytes and microglia in spinal cord lesions.The pathophysiology of SCI has not been fully elucidated and this hinders the development of powerful therapeutic strategies.This review focuses on the cellular mechanisms underlying the anti-apoptotic effects of Speedy/RINGO and discusses how this protective function can possibly be exploited to facilitate recovery from SCI.Particular attention is paid to reversal of the negative effects on the ERK/MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways via induction of p53.