Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Zhu, M.-Y.
• Wang, W.-P.
• Bissette, G.

Titel

Neuroprotective effects of agmatine against cell damage caused by glucocorticoids in cultured rat hippocampal neurons

Ist Teil von

• Neuroscience, 2006, Vol.141 (4), p.2019-2027

Ort / Verlag

Oxford: Elsevier Ltd

Erscheinungsjahr

2006

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• In the present study the neuroprotective effects of agmatine against neuronal damage caused by glucocorticoids were examined in cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Spectrophotometric measurements of lactate dehydrogenase activities, β-tubulin III immunocytochemical staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick-end-labeling assay (TUNEL) labeling and caspase-3 assays were carried out to detect cell damage or possible involved mechanisms. Our results show that dexamethasone and corticosterone produced a concentration-dependent increase of lactate dehydrogenase release in 12-day hippocampal cultures. Addition of 100 μM agmatine into media prevented the glucocorticoid-induced increase of lactate dehydrogenase release, an effect also shared with the specific N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist MK801 and glucocorticoid receptor antagonists mifepristone and spironolactone. Arcaine, an analog of agmatine with similar structure as agmatine, also blocked glucocorticoid-induced increase of lactate dehydrogenase release. Spermine and putrescine, the endogenous polyamine and metabolic products of agmatine without the guanidino moiety of agmatine, have no appreciable effect on glucocorticoid-induced injuries, indicating a structural relevance for this neuroprotection. Immunocytochemical staining with β-tubulin III confirmed the substantial neuronal injuries caused by glucocorticoids and the neuroprotective effects of agmatine against these neuronal injuries. TUNEL labeling demonstrated that agmatine significantly reduced TUNEL-positive cell numbers induced by exposure of cultured neurons to dexamethasone. Moreover, exposure of hippocampal neurons to dexamethasone significantly increased caspase-3 activity, which was inhibited by co-treatment with agmatine. Taken together, these results demonstrate that agmatine can protect cultured hippocampal neurons from glucocorticoid-induced neurotoxicity, through a possible blockade of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor channels or a potential anti-apoptotic property.