aconitine and Asphyxia

Remote ischemic postconditioning (RIPost) has been shown to reduce the ischemia-reperfusion injury of the heart and brain. However, the protection mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. We have observed that RIPost could alleviate the brain injury after cardiac arrest (CA). The aim of this study was to explore whether α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) mediates the neuroprotection of RIPost in a rat model of asphyxial CA.. Asphyxial CA model was induced by occlusion of the tracheal tube for 8 min and resuscitated later. RIPost produced by three cycles of 15-min occlusion and 15-min release of the right hind limb by a tourniquet was performed respectively at the moment and the third hour after restoration of spontaneous circulation. The α7nAChR agonist PHA-543613 and the antagonist methyllycaconitine (MLA) were used to investigate the role of α7nAChR in mediating neuroprotective effects.. Results showed that α7nAChR was decreased in hippocampus and cortex after resuscitation, whereas RIPost could attenuate the reduction. The use of PHA-543613 provided neuroprotective effects against cerebral injury after CA. Furthermore, RIPost decreased the levels of neuron-specific enolase, inflammatory mediators, the number of apoptotic cells, and phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB while increased the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3. However, the above effects of RIPost were attenuated by α7nAChR antagonist methyllycaconitine.. Neuroprotection of RIPost was related with the activation of α7nAChR, which could suppress nuclear factor-κB and activate signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 in a rat asphyxial CA model.

Topics: Aconitine; alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; Animals; Asphyxia; Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; Disease Models, Animal; Heart Arrest; Hippocampus; Humans; Hypoxia, Brain; Ischemic Postconditioning; Male; Neuroprotection; NF-kappa B; Quinuclidines; Rats; Signal Transduction; STAT3 Transcription Factor; Treatment Outcome

Hypobaric hypoxic preconditioning increased the resistance of low resistant and highly resistant rats to acute hypobaric hypoxia at a critical height. Intergroup differences in the resistance of rats to acute hypobaric hypoxia were not observed after hypobaric hypoxia and one variational series with a wide range of resistance (4.5-24.5 min) appeared. Methyllycaconitine, an antagonist of subtype α(7) nicotinic cholinergic receptors, abolished the influence of hypobaric hypoxia on low resistant rats, but had no effect on highly resistant animals. Mecamylamine, a preferential antagonist of subtype α(4)β(2) and α(3)-containing cholinergic receptors, did not modulate the effect of hypobaric hypoxia. By contrast, hypobaric hypoxia abolished the effect of mecamylamine on the resistance of rats that were not trained under conditions of hypobaric hypoxia (low resistant and highly resistant animals with low sensitivity to hypobaric hypoxia). We conclude that the same effect of hypobaric hypoxia is mediated by various mechanisms, which involve different nicotinic cholinergic receptors. They differ from the resistance mechanisms in non-trained rats.

Topics: Aconitine; Adaptation, Physiological; Air Pressure; Animals; Asphyxia; Hypoxia; Male; Mecamylamine; Nicotinic Antagonists; Rats; Receptors, Nicotinic