cytochrome-c-t and Dementia

To develop a novel and effective drug that could enhance cognitive function and neuroprotection, we newly synthesized maltolyl p-coumarate by the esterification of maltol and p-coumaric acid. In the present study, we investigated whether maltolyl p-coumarate could improve cognitive decline in scopolamine-injected rats and in amyloid beta peptide(1-42)-infused rats. Maltolyl p-coumarate was found to attenuate cognitive deficits in both rat models using passive avoidance test and to reduce apoptotic cell death observed in the hippocampus of the amyloid beta peptide(1-42)-infused rats. We also examined the neuroprotective effects of maltolyl p-coumarate in vitro using SH-SY5Y cells. Cells were pretreated with maltolyl p-coumarate, before exposed to amyloid beta peptide(1-42), glutamate or H2O2. We found that maltolyl p-coumarate significantly decreased apoptotic cell death and reduced reactive oxygen species, cytochrome c release, and caspase 3 activation. Taking these in vitro and in vivo results together, our study suggests that maltolyl p-coumarate is a potentially effective candidate against Alzheimer's disease that is characterized by wide spread neuronal death and progressive decline of cognitive function.

Topics: Amyloid beta-Peptides; Animals; Apoptosis; Blotting, Western; Caspase 3; Cognition; Coumaric Acids; Cytochromes c; Dementia; Disease Models, Animal; Enzyme Activation; In Situ Nick-End Labeling; Muscarinic Antagonists; Neuroprotective Agents; Pyrones; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reactive Oxygen Species; Scopolamine

A 26-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for the treatment of hyperbaric oxygen therapy to acute carbon monoxide intoxication. The consciousness disturbance improved and she was discharged after 23 times of the hyperbaric oxygen therapy. However, she was readmitted because of dementia and urinary incontinence after 22 days. Diffusion-weighted images showed bright high signal intensities in the periventicular white matter and corpus callosum. The condition was considered to be an interval form of carbon monoxide intoxication. She was treated by 38 times of the hyperbaric oxygen therapy with cytochrome C and fully recovered. MRI images and cerebrospinal fluid abnormality (high protein content and IgG index) became normalized somewhat later than the improvement of the symptoms. By an investigation utilizing diffusion-weighted images, we thought that not only the demyelination which mentioned formerly, but the vasogenic edema was involving in the mechanism of these high signal intensities in the periventicular white matter of the interval form. And in the range which we searched, this is the first report which mentioned the abnormal findings of cerebrospinal fluid in an interval form of carbon monoxide intoxication. So we believe this case is very important for telling us suspected the mechanism and some indications about the treatment of an interval form.

Topics: Adult; Brain; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Cerebrospinal Fluid; Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins; Cytochromes c; Dementia; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Female; Fetal Death; Humans; Hyperbaric Oxygenation; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Pregnancy Trimester, Third; Urinary Incontinence

Topics: Cytochromes; Cytochromes c; Dementia; Dementia, Vascular; Humans; Mental Disorders; Psychotic Disorders