batimastat and Ischemic-Attack--Transient

Transient global ischemia causes delayed white matter injury to the brain with oligodendrocyte (OLG) death and myelin breakdown. There is increasing evidence that hypoxia may be involved in several diseases of the white matter, including multiple sclerosis, vascular dementia, and ischemia. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are increased in rat and mouse models of hypoxic hypoperfusion and have been associated with OLG death. However, whether the MMPs act on myelin or OLGs remains unresolved. We hypothesized that delayed expression of MMPs caused OLG death and myelin breakdown. To test the hypothesis, adult mice underwent hypoxic hypoperfusion with transient bilateral occlusion of the carotid arteries. After 3 days of reperfusion, ischemic white matter had increased reactivity of astrocytes and microglia, MMP-2 localization in astrocytes, and increased protein expression and activity of MMP-2. In addition, there was a significant loss of myelin basic protein (MBP) by Western blot and caspase-3- mediated OLG death. Treatment with the broad-spectrum MMP inhibitor, BB-94, significantly decreased astrocyte reactivity and MMP-2 activity. More importantly, it reduced MBP breakdown. However, MMP inhibition had no effect on OLG loss. Our results implicate MMPs released by reactive astrocytes in delayed myelin degradation, while OLG death occurs by an MMP-independent mechanism. We propose that MMP-mediated myelin loss is important in hypoxic injury to the white matter.

Topics: Animals; Caspase 3; Cell Death; Disease Models, Animal; Enzyme Inhibitors; Gene Expression Regulation; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; Ischemic Attack, Transient; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Myelin Basic Protein; Myelin Sheath; Oligodendroglia; Phenylalanine; Thiophenes; Time Factors

Mechanisms of selective neuronal death in the hippocampus after global cerebral ischemia remain to be clarified. Here, we explored a possible role for matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in this phenomenon. Although many studies have demonstrated detrimental roles for the gelatinase MMP-9 in focal cerebral ischemia, how dysregulated MMP proteolysis influences global cerebral ischemia is less well understood. In this study, CD-1 mice were subjected to transient global ischemia. Transient occlusions of common carotid arteries for periods between 20 and 40 min led to increasing hippocampal neuronal death after 3 d. Gel zymography showed elevations in gelatinase (MMP-2 and MMP-9) activity. In situ zymography showed that gelatinase activity was mostly colocalized with neuron-specific nuclear protein-stained pyramidal neurons. Mice treated with the broad-spectrum metalloproteinase inhibitor BB-94 (50 mg/kg, i.p.) showed reduced hippocampal gelatinase activity after transient global cerebral ischemia and suffered significantly reduced hippocampal neuronal damage compared with vehicle-treated controls (p < 0.01). Additionally, hippocampal gelatinase activity and neuronal damage after transient global ischemia were also significantly reduced in MMP-9 knock-out mice compared with wild-type mice (p < 0.05). These data indicate a potential deleterious role for MMP-9 in the pathogenesis of delayed neuronal damage in the hippocampus after global cerebral ischemia.

Topics: Animals; Dipeptides; Disease Models, Animal; Disease Progression; Hippocampus; Immunohistochemistry; Ischemic Attack, Transient; Male; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; Matrix Metalloproteinases; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Neurons; Neuroprotective Agents; Phenylalanine; Protease Inhibitors; Thiophenes