dizocilpine-maleate and propentofylline

Glutamate (Glu) is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and plays a critical role in the neuroplasticity of nociceptive networks. We aimed to examine the role of spinal astroglia in the modulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission in a model of chronic psychological stress-induced visceral hyperalgesia in male Wistar rats. We assessed the effect of chronic stress on different glial Glu control mechanisms in the spinal cord including N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), glial Glu transporters (GLT1 and GLAST), the Glu conversion enzyme glutamine synthetase (GS), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). We also tested the effect of pharmacological inhibition of NMDAR activation, of extracellular Glu reuptake, and of astrocyte function on visceral nociceptive response in naive and stressed rats. We observed stress-induced decreased expression of spinal GLT1, GFAP, and GS, whereas GLAST expression was upregulated. Although visceral hyperalgesia was blocked by pharmacological inhibition of spinal NMDARs, we observed no stress effects on NMDAR subunit expression or phosphorylation. The glial modulating agent propentofylline blocked stress-induced visceral hyperalgesia, and blockade of GLT1 function in control rats resulted in enhanced visceral nociceptive response. These findings provide evidence for stress-induced modulation of glia-controlled spinal Glu-ergic neurotransmission and its involvement in chronic stress-induced visceral hyperalgesia. The findings reported in this study demonstrate a unique pattern of stress-induced changes in spinal Glu signaling and metabolism associated with enhanced responses to visceral distension.

Topics: Amino Acid Transport System X-AG; Animals; Astrocytes; Dizocilpine Maleate; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase; Glutamic Acid; Hyperalgesia; Male; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; Spinal Cord; Stress, Psychological; Synaptic Transmission; Xanthines

Because of ontogenic influences on the pathophysiologic mechanisms of brain injury in the perinatal brain, and in particular, the incomplete development of adenosine receptor systems, we investigated the potential for adenosine to provide cerebro-protection in a well established newborn rat model of hypoxia-ischemia. Fifteen litters of postnatal d 7 animals were subjected to unilateral carotid ligation and exposure to hypoxia (8% oxygen) for 3 h. Immediately after hypoxia-ischemia, animals received either the adenosine deaminase inhibitor deoxycoformycin (DCF; 2.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally) or the adenosine uptake inhibitor propentofylline (PPF; 10 mg/kg intraperitoneally); paired littermates received an equivalent volume of normal saline. On postnatal d 14, injury or protection was assessed by differences in hemispheric weights, morphometric determinations of infarct area, and histopathologic analyses. DCF resulted in a 34% (p = 0.02) and 31% (p = 0.03) reduction in hemispheric weight disparities and infarct area, respectively; for PPF, these reductions were 46% (p = 0.03) and 32% (p = 0.04), respectively. Light microscopic examinations of striatum, thalamus, hippocampus, and cortex revealed that both drugs significantly improved histologic scores as well. Measurements in six separate litters indicated that neither drug significantly reduced core body temperature for at least 6 h postadministration. These findings indicate that potentiation of endogenous adenosine levels in the perinatal brain can significantly ameliorate brain injury. Each of these treatment strategies was effective even when administered after the hypoxic-ischemic insult. Thus, further investigations of adenosinergic therapies are warranted in this and other perinatal models of cerebral ischemia to elucidate in detail their potential for clinical application.

Topics: Adenosine; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Body Temperature; Brain; Brain Ischemia; Disease Models, Animal; Dizocilpine Maleate; Enzyme Inhibitors; Neuroprotective Agents; Organ Size; Pentostatin; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Xanthines