Junichiro Ono

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α has a key role in hypoxic preconditioning

Sublethal hypoxia induces tolerance to subsequent hypoxic insults in a process known as hypoxic preconditioning (HP). Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) is a key transcription protein involved in the mechanism of HP. In this study, we investigated the effects of HP on tissue oxygenation and expression of HIF-1 alpha gene targets in the brain using neural cell-specific HIF-1 alpha-deficient mice. The animals were exposed to 8% oxygen for 3 hours. Twenty-four hours later, the oxygen partial pressure (pO(2)) of brain tissue and gene expression were measured during hypoxia. HP improved the pO(2) of brain tissue during subsequent hypoxia with upregulated inducible nitric oxide synthase in wild-type mice, whereas HP had no detectable effect in the mutant mice. Our results indicate that the protective effects of HP may be partially mediated by improving tissue oxygenation via HIF-1 alpha and inducible nitric oxide synthase.

Ethanol and acetaldehyde differentially alter extracellular dopamine and serotonin in Aldh2-knockout mouse dorsal striatum: A reverse microdialysis study.

Dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) seem to be involved in several of the effects of ethanol (EtOH). Acetaldehyde (AcH), especially in the brain, induces effects that mimic those of EtOH. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of local perfusion of EtOH and AcH on extracellular DA and 5-HT in the dorsal striatum of Aldh2-knockout (Aldh2-KO) and wild-type (WT) mice. Aldh2-KO mice were used as a model of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 deficiency in humans to examine the effects of AcH. Mice were perfused with Ringers solution (control), EtOH (100, 200, or 500mM) and AcH (100, 200, or 500μM) into the dorsal striatum. Dialysate samples were collected every 5min, and then analyzed with HPLC coupled to an ECD. We found that local perfusion with 500mM EtOH increased extracellular levels of DA (p<0.05) in both Aldh2-KO and WT mice, while 5-HT levels remain unchanged. EtOH at a dose of 200mM also increased DA in WT mice, but this was limited to a 30-40-min time-point. In contrast, perfusion with 200 and 500μM AcH decreased both DA and 5-HT (p<0.05) in Aldh2-KO mice, but this decrease was not found in WT mice at any AcH dose, indicating an effect of AcH on DA and 5-HT levels. There were no genotype effects on the basal levels of DA and 5-HT. These results indicate that high EtOH can stimulate DA, whereas high AcH can depress both DA and 5-HT in the dorsal striatum of mice.

D -Allose Protects Against Endotoxemic Acute Renal Injury

D-allose is a monosaccharide. We previously reported that D-allose attenuated renal injury by inhibiting the activation of neutrophils after renal ischemia/reperfusion. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) triggers sepsis syndrome by activating monocytes to produce proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, which potently stimulates the activation of neutrophils. This study was undertaken to examine the effects of D-allose on renal injury in the systemic inflammatory response induced by LPS administration, with emphasis on systemic TNF-alpha and the activation of neutrophils in the rat kidney. Serum and renal TNF-alpha, renal cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC)-1, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) concentrations, and renal function after LPS administration were evaluated. D-allose (400 mg/kg body weight) inhibited LPS-induced increases in serum and renal TNF-alpha concentrations and renal CINC-1 and MPO concentrations after LPS administration, as well as the subsequent neutrophil-mediated renal injury. These findings may have important implications in understanding the biologic functions of D-allose. D-allose may prove useful in protecting against acute renal injury in systemic inflammatory responses to LPS.

High ethanol and acetaldehyde impair spatial memory in mouse models: Opposite effects of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 and apolipoprotein E on memory

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 deficiency may directly contribute to excess acetaldehyde (AcH) accumulation after ethanol (EtOH) drinking and AcH mediates some of the behavioral effects of EtOH. Apolipoprotein E has been suggested to be involved in the alteration of attention and memory. We have chosen Aldh2-knockout (Aldh2-KO), ApoE-KO, and their wild-type (WT) control mice to examine the effects of EtOH and AcH on spatial memory and to compare the possible relationship between genetic deficiency and memory using two behavioral assessments. Mice were trained for 4 days, with EtOH (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 g/kg) being given intraperitoneally on day 4. A probe trial was given on day 5 in the non-EtOH state in the Morris water maze (MWM). The results showed that 2.0 g/kg EtOH increased errors, indicating memory impairment on the eight-arm radial maze (RAM) for all the mice studied. One gram per kilogram EtOH impaired the performance of Aldh2-KO and ApoE-KO mice, but not WT mice. We found similar effects of EtOH on the MWM performance, with 2.0 g/kg EtOH increasing the latencies. One gram per kilogram EtOH increased the latencies of Aldh2-KO and WT mice, but not ApoE-KO mice. The 2.0 g/kg EtOH-induced memory impairment in Aldh2-KO mice was greater, suggesting an AcH effect. Furthermore, time spent on the probe trial was shorter in mice that had previously received 2.0 g/kg EtOH. ApoE-KO mice learned more slowly, while Aldh2-KO mice learned more quickly. Both the RAM and MWM results suggest that high EtOH and AcH impair spatial memory in mice, while lower doses do not have consistent memory effects. In addition, we conclude that genetic differences might underlie some of EtOHs effects on memory.

The relationship of brain catecholamine levels to enflurane requirements among three strains of mice with different anesthetic sensitivities.

AbstractPurpose. It has been reported that brain catecholamines alter the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of anesthetics. The extent of the relation between the levels of brain catecholamine and anesthetic sensitivity should be evaluated by excluding several factors. Methods. Anesthetic sensitivity was measured by using loss of the righting reflex in three strains of mice with different sensitivities. The mice were decapitated without any anesthesia, adding on ddN and C57BL/6J mice in 2% enflurane, their brains were divided into three parts, and dopamine and norepinephrine levels were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results. The values of enflurane requirement (%) were 1.30 ± 0.05 in ddN, 1.10 ± 0.02 in C57BL/6J, and 1.05 ± 0.02 in MSM mice. The values of dopamine (μg · g−1) in the mesencephalon were 0.23 ± 0.02 in ddN, 0.15 ± 0.02 in C57BL/6J, and 0.12 ± 0.02 in MSM (mean ± SE). No statistical significance in the values in 2% enflurane could be obtained between ddN and C57BL/6J. The stepwise regression line showed a significant correlation: enflurane requirement (%) = −0.89 + 1.60 × (dopamine levels of mesencephalon) (r2 = 0.571, P < 0.0001). Conclusion. Dopamine in the mesencephalon seems to play an important role in the production of different anesthetic sensitivities, and the anesthetic mechanism might be related to the regulation of dopamine levels that promote arousal.

Functional interaction between BDNF and mGluR II in vitro: BDNF down-regulated mGluR II gene expression and an mGluR II agonist enhanced BDNF-induced BDNF gene expression in rat cerebral cortical neurons

HighlightsBDNF led to marked reductions in the gene expression levels of group II mGluRs.BDNF caused no change to the amounts of mGluR I or III mRNA.The BDNF‐induced suppression of mGluR II was induced in neurons in a neuronal activity‐independent manner.MGluR II agonist enhanced the BDNF‐induced up‐regulation of BDNF. Abstract Accumulating evidence suggests functional interaction between brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) signaling pathways in the central nervous system (CNS). To date, eight subtypes of mGluRs, mGluR1–8, have been identified, and a previous study suggested that BDNF leads to down‐regulation of GluR2 mRNA in rat cerebral cortical cultures. However, precise transcriptomic effects of BDNF on other mGluRs and their cellular significance on the BDNF signaling pathway remain largely unknown. In this study, we assessed the transcriptomic effects of BDNF on mGluR1–8 in primary cultures of rat cerebral cortical neurons, and transcriptomic impacts of mGluR(s) whose expression is regulated by BDNF, on BDNF target genes. Real‐time quantitative PCR (RT‐qPCR) revealed that stimulation of the cultures with 100 ng/mL BDNF led to marked reductions not only in the gene expression levels of mGluR2, but also in those of mGluR3, both of which belong to group II mGluRs (mGluR II). There were, on the other hand, no changes in the amounts of mGluR I (mGluR1 and 5) and III (mGluR4, 6, 7, and 8) mRNA. Further, 10 ng/mL of BDNF, which mainly activates the high‐affinity BDNF receptor, TrkB, but not the low‐affinity receptor, p75NTR, was able to induce down‐regulation of mGluR II mRNA. The BDNF‐induced suppression of mGluR II was not significantly attenuated in the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX), a blocker for voltage‐gated sodium channels. In addition, on stimulation with BDNF (100 ng/mL), no significant down‐regulation of mGluR II mRNA was seen in cultured astrocytes, which only express the truncated form of TrkB. Finally, we assessed the transcriptomic effect of mGluR II on the expressions of BDNF target genes, BDNF and activity‐regulated cytoskeleton‐associated protein (Arc). LY404039, an mGluR II agonist, enhanced the BDNF‐induced up‐regulation of BDNF, but not Arc. On the other hand, LY341495, an mGluR II antagonist, down‐regulated BDNF mRNA levels. Collectively, these observations demonstrated the detailed functional interaction between BDNF and mGluR II: Activation of mGluR II positively regulates self‐induced BDNF expression, and, in turn, BDNF negatively regulates the gene expression of mGluR II in a neuronal activity‐independent manner, in cortical neurons, but not in astrocytes.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 deficiency increases resting-state glutamate and expression of the GluN1 subunit of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor in the frontal cortex of mice

Our previous study showed that Aldh2-knockout (Aldh2-KO) mice, an animal model of inactive aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), have better spatial memory when compared with wild-type (WT) mice. Given that the neurotransmitter glutamate has been associated with learning and memory, the goal of the present study was to investigate whether the strain-dependent difference in spatial memory was associated with changes in glutamate transmitter levels or receptor function in the frontal cortex of Aldh2-KO and WT mice. Thus, we first measured extracellular glutamate levels in free-moving mice using microdialysis. Second, we studied protein expression of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor (GluN1) subunit and the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5 methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptor (GluA1) subunit in lipid raft fractions using Western blot (WB). The samples were collected for WB, and lipid rafts were prepared from the insoluble fraction of homogenate tissue. Protein concentration was measured in the whole cell lysate (WCL) and in five separate lipid raft fractions. Cholesterol was also measured in all fractions 1-5. The microdialysis study revealed that basal glutamate concentration in the dialysates was approximately three-fold (0.27 ± 0.12 μM) higher in Aldh2-KO mice than in WT (0.10 ± 0.03 μM) mice. We also found an increase in the expression of GluN1 in Aldh2-KO mice compared with WT mice, both in the WCL and fraction 5, but GluA1 levels were unchanged as measured by WB. Our novel findings provide the first evidence for the role of ALDH2 in glutamate release and GluN1 protein expression in the frontal cortex. The observed strain differences in glutamate levels and GluN1 expression may suggest that enhanced glutamatergic function facilitates improved spatial memory in Aldh2-KO mice and such observation deserves further investigation.

Corticotropin-releasing hormone-binding protein is up-regulated by brain-derived neurotrophic factor and is secreted in an activity-dependent manner in rat cerebral cortical neurons

A recent study revealed that corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH) in the cerebral cortex (CTX) plays a regulatory role in emotional behaviors in rodents. Given the functional interaction between brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the CRH‐signaling pathway in the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis, we hypothesized that BDNF may regulate gene expression of CRH and its related molecules in the CTX. Findings of real‐time quantitative PCR (RT‐qPCR) indicated that stimulation of cultured rat cortical neurons with BDNF led to marked elevations in the mRNA levels of CRH and CRH‐binding protein (CRH‐BP). The BDNF‐induced up‐regulation of CRH‐BP mRNA was attenuated by inhibitors of tropomyosin related kinase (Trk) and MEK, but not by an inhibitor for PI3K and Phospholipase C gamma (PLCγ). The up‐regulation was partially blocked by an inhibitor of lysine‐specific demethylase (KDM) 6B. Fluorescent imaging identified the vesicular pattern of pH‐sensitive green fluorescent protein‐fused CRH‐BP (CRH‐BP‐pHluorin), which co‐localized with mCherry‐tagged BDNF in cortical neurons. In addition, live‐cell imaging detected drastic increases of pHluorin fluorescence in neurites upon membrane depolarization. Finally, we confirmed that tetrodotoxin partially attenuated the BDNF‐induced up‐regulation of CRH‐BP mRNA, but not that of the protein. These observations indicate the following: In cortical neurons, BDNF led to gene expression of CRH‐BP and CRH. TrkB, MEK, presumably ERK, and KDM6B are involved in the BDNF‐induced gene expression of CRH‐BP, and BDNF is able to induce the up‐regulation in a neuronal activity‐independent manner. It is suggested that CRH‐BP is stored into BDNF‐containing secretory granules in cortical neurons, and is secreted in response to membrane depolarization.

Effect of the volatile anesthetic agent isoflurane on lateral diffusion of cell membrane proteins

The volatile anesthetic isoflurane (ISO) has previously been shown to increase the fluidity of artificial lipid membranes, but very few studies have used biological cell membranes. Therefore, to investigate whether ISO affects the mobility of membrane proteins, fluorescence‐labeled transferrin receptor (TfR) and glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)‐anchored protein were expressed in human embryonic kidney 293T cells and neural cells and lateral diffusion was examined using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Lateral diffusion of the TfR increased with ISO treatment. On the other hand, there was no effect on GPI‐anchored protein. We also used GC/MS to confirm that there was no change in the concentration of ISO due to vaporization during measurement. These results suggest that ISO affects the mobility of transmembrane protein molecules in living cells.

Urinary trypsin inhibitor ameliorates renal tissue oxygenation after ischemic reperfusion in rats

AbstractPurposeIn order to determine the mechanism of the protective effect of a urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI) on renal ischemic reperfusion injury, we measured the tissue oxygen partial pressure (