A genomic analysis of subclinical hypothyroidism in hippocampus and neocortex of the developing rat brain.

Hypothyroidism during pregnancy and the early postnatal period has severe neurological consequences for the developing offspring. The impact of milder degrees of perturbation of the thyroid axis as encompassed in conditions of subclinical hypothyroidism and hypothyroxinemia, however, has not been established. The present investigation examined the effects of graded levels of hypothyroidism, from subclinical to severe, on global gene expression in the developing rodent brain. Thyroid hormone insufficiency was induced by administration of propylthiouracil (PTU) to pregnant rats via drinking water from gestational day 6 until sacrifice of pups prior to weaning. In the first study a specialised microarray, the Affymetrix Rat Neurobiology array RN_U34, was used to contrast gene expression in the hippocampus of animals exposed to 0 or 10 ppm (10 mg/l) PTU, a treatment producing severe hypothyroidism. In the second study, a more complete genome array (Affymetrix Rat 230A) was used to compare gene expression in the neocortex and hippocampus of postnatal day (PN) 14 animals experiencing graded degrees of thyroid hormone insufficiency induced by delivery of 0, 1, 2 or 3 ppm PTU to the dam. Dose-dependent up- and down-regulation were observed for gene transcripts known to play critical roles in brain development and brain function. Expression levels of a subset of approximately 25 genes in each brain region were altered at a dose of PTU (1 ppm) that induced mild hypothyroxinemia in dams and pups. These data indicate that genes driving important developmental processes are sensitive to relatively modest perturbations of the thyroid axis, and that the level of gene expression is related to the degree of hormone reduction. Altered patterns of gene expression during critical windows of brain development indicate that thyroid disease must be viewed as a continuum and that conditions typically considered 'subclinical' may induce structural and functional abnormalities in the developing central nervous system.

7-Nitroindazole prevents 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3, 6-tetrahydropyridine-induced ATP loss in the mouse striatum.

The neurotoxicity of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is dependent upon the MAO-B (monoamine oxidase type B)-catalyzed production of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP(+)) and is likely to involve a perturbation of energy metabolism. Protection against MPTP neurotoxicity has been shown by treating mice with 7-nitroindazole (7-NI), a reversible inhibitor of both MAO-B and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) activity. The objective of the present study was to evaluate (i) the relationship between the neuroprotective effect of 7-NI and MPTP-induced energy deficiency, and (ii) the role of nitric oxide production as a potential mechanism for energy perturbation after MPTP exposure. Maximum protection against striatal dopamine depletion and nigral neuronal loss was achieved when 7-NI (50 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered to C57BL/6 mice immediately before and after MPTP (50 mg/kg, s.c.). This short-term regimen of 7-NI administration parallels the time when MPTP exposure causes energy failure. 7-NI also completely prevented the loss of striatal ATP that occurs in mice during the initial hours after MPTP administration. In contrast, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (two injections of 50 mg/kg each, given i.p. 20 and 4 h prior to MPTP), another NOS inhibitor, failed to affect MPTP-induced ATP depletion. Taken together, data indicate that (i) a temporal and causal relationship exists between the neuroprotective effect of 7-NI and its ability to counteract ATP reduction, and (ii) MAO-B rather than NOS inhibition is the mechanism by which 7-NI counteracts MPTP-induced ATP depletion.

Differentiation dependent activation of the myelin genes in purified oligodendrocytes is highly resistant to hypoglycemia.

We have previously demonstrated that the developmental upregulation of myelin-specific genes in mixed glial cultures is strongly attenuated by hypoglycemia. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of hypoglycemia on differentiation-dependent upregulation of myelin genes in purified oligodendrocyte cultures. The expression of major myelin protein genes, i.e., proteolipid protein (PLP), basic protein (BP) and myelin associated glycoprotein (MAG) were monitored by Northern blot analysis. In control cultures maintained at 6 mg/ml of glucose, the expression of all the genes upregulated rapidly, and plateaued at approximately day 4. A similar pattern of differentiation-dependent upregulation was observed for the gene encoding a lipogenic enzyme, i.e., malic enzyme (ME). In contrast to mixed glial cultures, however, this developmental gene upregulation was not significantly affected by severe hypoglycemia (approximately 0.02 mg/ml). The results indicate that the effect of glucose deprivation on oligodendrocyte genes observed in mixed glial cultures is mediated by other cells. The upregulation of the genes in differentiating oligodendrocytes was accompanied by the production of myelin-related membrane that was isolated by density gradient fractionation. In contrast to the effect on gene expression, this anabolic activity was highly dependent on glucose, as seen from a profound suppression by severe hypoglycemia.

Inhibition of monoamine oxidase contributes to the protective effect of 7-nitroindazole against MPTP neurotoxicity.

The ability of 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) to protect against MPTP-induced neurotoxicity has been attributed to its inhibition of neuronal nitric oxide synthase. In the present study, 7-NI was found to counteract almost completely striatal dopamine depletion caused by a single subcutaneus injection of 20 mg/kg MPTP in mice. This effect, however, was accompanied by a significant reduction in the striatal levels of MPP+, the toxic metabolite generated via monoamine oxidase B-catalyzed MPTP oxidation. In the presence of 7-NI, a dose of 40 mg/kg MPTP produced MPP concentrations similar to those measured after treatment with 20 mg/kg MPTP alone. A comparison of neurotoxicity in these two experimental conditions (i.e., mice treated with 20 mg/kg alone versus 40 mg/kg MPTP plus 7-NI) revealed only a slight (20%), but statistically significant, protection of dopamine depletion with 7-NI. These data indicate that the mechanism by which 7-NI counteracts MPTP neurotoxicity in mice is not due solely to inhibition of neuronal nitric oxide synthase, but involves a reduction in MPP+ formation.

Selenium is required for normal upregulation of myelin genes in differentiating oligodendrocytes.

The purpose of this study was to characterize the selenium requirement for the normal differentiation of oligodendrocyte lineage cells. In primary mixed glial cultures prepared from newborn rat brains, the overall growth of cultures, as seen from the total RNA yield, was not significantly affected by selenium. However, 30 nM selenium was required for the normal upregulation the proteolipid protein, basic protein, and myelin-associated glycoprotein gene expression assessed by Northern blot analysis. Selenium deprivation during initial, rapid phase of the gene upregulation irreversibly suppressed the genes, indicating the existence of a critical period in oligodendrocyte differentiation. In purified oligodendrocyte cultures prepared by mechanical dislodging of progenitor (O-2A) cells from mixed glial cultures, total cell number and total RNA yield were virtually unaffected by selenium deprivation; however, the developmental upregulation of the myelin genes was profoundly attenuated. Immunocytochemical analysis confirmed the suppressive effect of selenium deficiency on the differentiation of oligodendrocyte lineage cells, as seen from a significant decrease in the population of GalC+ and O4+ cells. Because the number of GC+ cells was more reduced than the number of O4+ cells, the results indicate that selenium deficiency may specifically inhibit the progression from immature to mature oligodendrocytes.

Role of nitric oxide in methamphetamine neurotoxicity: protection by 7-nitroindazole, an inhibitor of neuronal nitric oxide synthase.

The role of nitric oxide (NO.) in the neurotoxic effects of methamphetamine (METH) was evaluated using 7-nitroindazole (7-NI), a potent inhibitor of neuronal nitric oxide synthase. Treatment of mice with 7-NI (50 mg/kg) almost completely counteracted the loss of dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity observed 5 days after four injections of 10 or 7.5 mg/kg METH. With the higher dose of METH, this protection at 5 days occurred despite the fact that combined administration of METH and 7-NI significantly increased lethality and exacerbated METH-induced dopamine release (as indicated by a greater dopamine depletion at 90 min and 1 day). Combined treatment with 4 x 10 mg/kg METH and 7-NI also slightly increased the body temperature of mice as compared with METH alone. Thus, the neuroprotective effects of 7-NI are independent from lethality, are not likely to be related to a reduction of METH-induced dopamine release, and are not due to a decrease in body temperature. These results indicate that NO. formation is an important step leading to METH neurotoxicity, and suggest that the cytotoxic properties of NO. may be directly involved in dopaminergic terminal damage.

Monoamine oxidase-dependent metabolism of dopamine in the striatum and substantia nigra of L-DOPA-treated monkeys.

The effects of monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors on the metabolism of dopamine synthesized from exogenous L-DOPA were investigated in the striatum and substantia nigra of squirrel monkeys. Administration of a single dose of L-DOPA (methyl ester, 40 mg/kg, i.p.) caused a significant increase in the levels of dopamine, 3-4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) and in the DOPAC/dopamine ratio in the putamen, caudate and substantia nigra. These changes were more pronounced in the substantia nigra than in the striatum and within the striatum of L-DOPA-treated monkeys, levels of dopamine and its metabolites were higher in the putamen than in the caudate nucleus. When L-DOPA treatment was preceded by the injection of clorgyline or deprenyl at a concentration (1 mg/kg) which selectively inhibited MAO A or MAO B, respectively, striatal dopamine was increased while the striatal DOPAC and HVA levels and DOPAC/dopamine ratio were significantly reduced as compared to the values obtained with 1-DOPA alone. The two MAO inhibitors also counteracted the increase in the DOPAC and HVA levels and DOPAC/dopamine ratio induced by L-DOPA in the substantia nigra. Thus, both MAO A and MAO B contribute to the metabolism of dopamine when higher levels of this neurotransmitter are generated from L-DOPA in the squirrel monkey. The extent of reduction of dopamine catabolism (as assessed by the decrease in DOPAC and HVA levels) in the striatum and substantia nigra was similar with clorgyline and deprenyl even if the ratio MAO A/MAO B was approximately 1 to 10. This indicates that, though catalyzed by both MAO A and MAO B, dopamine deamination following treatment with L-DOPA preferentially involves MAO A.

Astrocytes as the site for bioactivation of neurotoxins.

Evidence obtained from studies on the mechanisms of action of dopaminergic neurotoxins suggests that glial cells may play an important role in neurodegenerative processes. A possible link between the function of glial cells and nerve cell damage could relate to the ability of astrocytes to convert innocuous compounds into toxic metabolites. Indeed, a mechanism of metabolic activation has been demonstrated in the MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3, 6-tetrahydropyridine) model of dopaminergic toxicity. The fully oxidized pyridinium metabolite (MPP+) is the ultimate mediator of MPTP neurotoxicity and is apparently able to damage neuronal cells after being formed within and released from astrocytes. Dopaminergic neurons are particularly vulnerable to MPTP toxicity probably because of their ability to accumulate MPP+ and to retain it for a prolonged period of time. Two pathways of MPP+ formation have been identified in astrocytes, one dependent upon the activity of monoamine oxidase (MAO) and the other related to the presence of transition metals. Tetrahydroisoquinolines (TIQs) are neurotoxins similar to MPTP in chemical structure as well as in their requirement for metabolic activation. Original data presented in this study do not support, however, a role of astrocytic MAO in the conversion of N-methyl-1,2,3,4-TIQ to the corresponding quinolinium metabolite.

Differentiation-specific demethylation of myelin associated glycoprotein gene in cultured oligodendrocytes.

The methylation status of a 4.4-kb 5' end of the myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) gene was assessed in cells with different levels of transcriptional activity of the gene, i.e., liver, brain, O-2A oligodendrocyte precursors cells, mature oligodendrocytes, and glioma C6 cells. Purified DNA was digested with methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes, and the cuts were mapped by the indirect end-labeling technique. The restriction sites within the 4.4-kb fragment revealed a highly heterogenous methylation pattern among cells and tissues, and liver DNA was the most heavily methylated. Most of the restriction sites were partly demethylated in the nervous system cells. Notably, two adjacent Hha1 sites at +94 and +96 were fully methylated in liver, but partially demethylated in the brain, OL, and O2A. Two Hpa2 site located at -1836 and at -39 were progressively demethylated in oligodendrocyte lineage cells, indicating specific hypomethylation associated with the oligodendrocytic differentiation. Most of the restriction sites were weakly methylated in the DNA from neoplastic C6 cells, although the Hha1 sites were fully methylated. No clear-cut correlation between the extent of CpG dinucleotide methylation and the chromatin conformation was found. For example, out of four heavily methylated sites only two comapped with MNase hypersensitive sites. Also, the -1836 Hpa2 site whose demethylation is concomitant with oligodendrocytic differentiation seems to be localized within precisely positioned nucleosomal arrays of the MAG gene chromatin. The results indicate that the MAG gene undergoes progressive demethylation concomitant with the oligodendrocyte differentiation/maturation. However, certain CpG dinucleotides remain heavily methylated even in the fully active gene in mature oligodendrocytes, indicating that they may be essential in maintaining proper chromatin structure.

Testes size and testosterone levels in a model for weightlessness.

The purpose of this study was to test whether the lack of testicular growth found in suspended rats would affect testosterone production in a way that might have consequences on muscle atrophy and function studies. Body and testes weight, food consumption, and testosterone levels in testes and plasma were measured at the beginning of the experiment and after 1, 3 or 8 weeks of suspension. Suspended animals ate more but gained less weight than their pair-fed controls. Testes testosterone concentration (microgram/g tissue) was increased at 3 and 8 weeks, but total tissue testosterone (microgram/testes) was not. Up to 3 weeks of suspension, tissue concentration was dependent on testes size and independent of treatment. Plasma testosterone was increased only after 8 weeks of suspension. At 8 weeks, plasma levels correlated with total testes testosterone. Our results show that use of the Morey-Holton rat tail-suspension model up to 3 weeks did not induce testosterone changes of consequence to a skeletal muscle study. For long term studies consideration should be given to possible hormonal effects as tissue and plasma testosterone levels increase after 8 weeks of suspension.

Myelin gene activation: a glucose sensitive critical period in development.

Glucose deprivation was employed to model caloric undernutrition in newborn rat mixed glial cultures. Six day-old cultures were placed in serum-free media containing glucose concentrations from 0.55 mg/ml to 10 mg/ml. The expression of the myelin PLP, BP, and MAG genes was determined by Northern blot analysis. The activation of the myelin genes began at approximately 6 days in vitro (DIV), and a period of rapid upregulation followed through 14 DIV. The gene activity was directly related to the glucose concentration. The increase in glucose concentration from 0.55 to 1.5 mg/ml (which spans the physiological range) resulted in 2-3 fold increases in expression of the myelin genes, whereas further increases in glucose (2-10 mg/ml) produced only slight additional elevation in the gene activity. We used high glucose (5-6 mg/ml) as control, or low glucose (0.55 mg/ml) as deprived, to delineate possible critical periods of oligodendrocytic differentiation. Cultures were deprived for 4-day intervals, staggered from 6 to 22 DIV. Deprivation from 6 to 10 DIV produced an 80-90% suppression of the myelin gene upregulation at 22 DIV; deprivation from 10 to 14 DIV produced 60-70% suppression; whereas deprivation from 14 to 18 DIV was fully recoverable by 22 DIV. These results show that mixed glial cultures model the developmental pattern of myelin gene expression, as well as their vulnerability. Furthermore, the period of rapid upregulation of the myelin genes appears to be a critical period in development, during which glucose deprivation irreversibly alters oligodendrocyte differentiation.

Abnormal upregulation of myelin genes underlies the critical period of myelination in undernourished developing rat brain.

Since myelin gene expression is suppressed during active myelination of the undernourished brain, this study was designed to determine the effects of undernourishment on the upregulation of myelin genes and the relationship between upregulation and the 'critical period' associated with permanent hypomyelination of the brain. Long-Evans rat dams were given either ad libitum or restricted access to rat chow to produce two populations of developing offsprings. The food deprivation schedule was designed to produce a degree of growth retardation comparable to our earlier studies of hypomyelination in undernourished brain. The expression of myelin genes, at various developmental ages, was determined in the forebrains from undernourished and normal, well fed controls by Northern analysis. In well nourished forebrain, proteolipid protein (PLP), myelin associated glycoprotein (MAG), and basic protein (BP) messages began to increase polynomially after day 8 post partum, leading to a rapid accumulation of message during the following several days. In undernourished forebrain, PLP, MAG, and BP messages did not show any increase until day 10, and then increased at a diminished rate as compared to well nourished forebrain. Additionally, the two PLP messages (1.6 kb and 3.2 kb) showed different vulnerabilities to protein-calorie undernourishment, which explains the abnormal ratio of the 3.2 and 1.6 kb forms we previously found in undernourished brain. This study shows a pattern of temporal specificity when the myelin PLP, MAG, and BP genes are synchronously upregulated in the normal forebrain to a high rate of transcription between day 7 to 9, which is several days before the onset of rapid myelination of the brain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Myelin isolation: comparison of sedimentation and flotation techniques.

Brains from young (20 day old) and adult rats were used to compare myelin yields obtained by sedimentation and flotation techniques. The flotation method consistently gave approx 70% higher yields of myelin than the sedimentation method. Both myelin preparations have virtually identical protein composition as assessed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Electrophoretic analysis revealed substantial concentrations of myelin proteins in the non-myelin particulate fraction obtained by the sedimentation but not by the flotation method. The study indicates that the paradigm of the sedimentation method results in a significant loss of myelin during isolation, and that this loss can be avoided or minimized by employing the flotation method.

How much undernourishment is required to retard brain myelin development.

This study employs a large population of developing rats designed to range continuously from above a normal, average weight to severely undernourished. The purpose of the study is to determine if brain myelin development is vulnerable to mild growth retardation from chronic hunger, or if brain myelin development is altered only after a certain tolerable amount of growth retardation is exceeded. The brains were examined at a landmark age, weaning, since myelination is one of the most vulnerable features of brain development and its rate of synthesis is highest at this age. Brain size was logarithmically related to body weight, and brain growth retardation increased as the severity of food deprivation increased. There was an additional reduction in the concentration of brain myelin. In contrast to brain weight, the reduction in myelin concentration was linearly related to body size over the full range from well nourished to undernourished. From a population perspective, these data indicate growth retardation from undernourishment in any amount slows brain growth and additionally lowers the concentration of brain myelin; however, individuals, in both well nourished and undernourished groups, vary widely. Implications and cautions of extrapolation to human populations are discussed.

Retinoic acid-regulated expression of proteolipid protein and myelin-associated glycoprotein genes in C6 glioma cells.

The effect of retinoic acid (RA) on the expression of myelin-specific genes, i.e., proteolipid protein (PLP) and myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) in rat glioma C6 cells, was analyzed by Northern blot hybridization. RA-treatment increased the steady-state level of the PLP-specific messages within one day after RA administration and the upregulation reached a maximum on the third day. Concomitantly, the expression of MAG-specific messages in the RA-treated C6 cells dropped below the detectability limit. The expression of the PLP gene was directly related to the RA concentration increasing to approximately 44-fold over the control (untreated cells) level at 10(-6) M RA. The stimulatory effect was vitiated by cycloheximide indicating the involvement of intermediate genes in the PLP gene activation. The total cellular RNA content and the level of cyclophilin mRNA was not changed by the RA-treatment. The present data indicate that RA can be a potent modulator of the myelin-specific gene expression. Furthermore, the reciprocal response of PLP versus MAG genes to RA demonstrates that these two genes utilize different regulatory mechanisms.

Cyclic AMP-induced upregulation of proteolipid protein and myelin associated glycoprotein gene expression in C6 cells.

A model culture system of C6 rat glioma cells was used to test the involvement of cAMP in the regulation of the myelin PLP and MAG genes. The treatment of cells with isoproterenol (10(-5) to 10(-8) M) upregulated the expression of the PLP and MAG genes in a concentration-dependent manner. The mRNA for PLP reached a maximum (sevenfold higher than in control cells) after about 12-24 hr, then declined to approximately fourfold over the control level. The response of MAG gene was delayed by at least 36 hr, and the level of MAG mRNA reached a maximum of approximately 48-fold over the control level on the fourth day in culture. The co-administration of propranolol blocked the effect of isoproterenol, whereas 10(-5) M forskolin simulated the effect of isoproterenol, indicating a role of cAMP in the signal transduction cascades leading to upregulation of the myelin genes. However, the dissimilarity in the timing and the extent of upregulation of the PLP and MAG genes by cAMP-stimulating agents indicate the existence of different intracellular mechanisms for the activation of these two genes. Cycloheximide blocked the stimulatory effect of isoproterenol on both the PLP and MAG genes, indicating that the effect of cAMP on the myelin genes is mediated by protein product(s) of other cAMP-response gene(s).

Down regulation of myelin-specific mRNAs in the mechanism of hypomyelination in the undernourished developing brain.

The expression of myelin-specific protein genes, i.e. myelin proteolipid (PLP), basic (BP), and myelin associated glycoproteins (MAG) was studied in normal and severely undernourished 20-day-old rats. The undernutrition paradigm resulted in reductions of approximately 50, 25 and 65% in body weight, brain weight and brain myelin yield, respectively. The amount of total brain RNA was not significantly altered, although the amount of cyclophilin (CYC) mRNA was increased. In contrast, the steady-state levels of myelin specific mRNAs were significantly decreased by approximately 40, 20 and 40% for PLP, BP and MAG, respectively. In addition, polyadenylation of the PLP transcript was altered, producing an abnormal ratio of the 1.6 kb to the 3.2 kb PLP mRNAs. The results indicate that down-regulation of myelin-specific gene expression is involved in the mechanisms of hypomyelination in hunger disease, although the individual genes are differently altered. Furthermore, undernutrition may have additional effects on the posttranscriptional processing of the transcripts as indicated by the abnormal size distribution of PLP messages.

Turbidity as a measure of particulate subcellular fraction yield.

Turbidity measurement, as an estimate of the concentration of a particulate subcellular membrane fraction, is an effective alternative to protein assay. As exemplified by purified myelin membrane the technique is fast, accurate, and consumes no sample, giving it certain advantages over protein assay in some applications.

Ultrastructural study of selenite-induced nuclear cataracts.

The formation of the selenite-induced cataract was investigated by examining the ultrastructure of the cataract with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A lacy, or honeycomb, appearance of the nuclear cataract seen by light microscopy was resolved by TEM to be due to the aggregation or precipitation of cytoplasmic material. Despite severe intracellular changes the fibers retained their close apposition to one another. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that a major lesion in selenite-induced nuclear cataracts is the formation of insoluble cytoplasmic aggregates.