The preconditioning effect of sevoflurane on the oxygen glucose-deprived hippocampal slice: the role of tyrosine kinases and duration of ischemia.

BACKGROUND: The neuroprotective efficacy of anesthetics observed in experimental models remains unproven in the clinical setting. The nonreceptor tyrosine kinase focal adhesion kinase (FAK) has been suggested to be involved in the neuroprotective effect of anesthetics observed experimentally. In the present work, we investigated whether FAK and the duration of ischemia play a role in the preconditioning effect of sevoflurane on brain tissue. METHODS: Rat acute hippocampal slices were subjected to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) challenge during increasing periods of time (10, 20, 30, 45, 50, and 60 min) followed by 1 h reperfusion. A preconditioning sevoflurane concentration (10(-4) M, 1 h) was applied 3 h before initiation of OGD. Protein expression of FAK and cleaved caspase 3 (a marker of activation of the apoptotic cascade) was measured by immunoblotting. Cell death was assessed by propidium iodide (PI) fluorescence. RESULTS: Both PI fluorescence and expression of cleaved caspase 3 significantly increased with duration of ischemia until reaching a ceiling effect for durations of ischemia longer than 30 min. Sevoflurane (10(-4) M) increased FAK expression and markedly reduced the increase in PI fluorescence and cleaved caspase 3 expression for periods of ischemia of 10, 20, and 30 min. In contrast, the protective effect was no longer observed for periods of ischemia longer than 30 min. 4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-(t-butyl) pyrazolo[3,4-d] pyrimidine (PP2, 10(-5) M, an inhibitor of src tyrosine kinases) application 60 min before and throughout that of sevoflurane significantly reduced the neuroprotective effect of sevoflurane on both caspase 3 expression and PI fluorescence. CONCLUSION: In the OGD rat acute hippocampal slice, the preconditioning effect of a clinically relevant concentration of sevoflurane was very likely to involve FAK and was observed only for periods of ischemia

Dexmedetomidine increases hippocampal phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1 and 2 content by an alpha 2-adrenoceptor-independent mechanism: evidence for the involvement of imidazoline I1 receptors.

BACKGROUND: Dexmedetomidine is a potent and selective alpha2-adrenoceptor (alpha2AR) agonist that exhibits a broad pattern of actions, including sedation, analgesia, and neuroprotection. Recent studies have emphasized the role of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (pERK1 and 2) in coupling rapid events such as neurotransmitter release and receptor stimulation long-lasting changes in synaptic plasticity and cell survival. Here, the authors hypothesized that dexmedetomidine increases pERK1 and 2 content and examined the mechanisms involved in this effect. METHODS: The effects of dexmedetomidine and their sensitivity to various pharmacologic agents on expression of pERK1 and 2 were studied by Western blots in hippocampal slices obtained from rats, wild-type mice, and mice carrying targeted deletions of the alpha2AR subtypes. RESULTS: Dexmedetomidine induced a concentration-related increase in the expression of pERK1 and 2 in rat hippocampal slices (EC50 [95% confidence interval] for pERK1, 0.97 [0.68-1.37] microm; for pERK2, 1.15 [0.62-2.14] microm). This effect was insensitive to the inhibitors of the alpha2AR-mediated signaling pathway, to prazosin, and to PP2, an inhibitor of the focal adhesion kinase-Src kinases. In contrast, it was still present in mice deleted for each of the alpha2AR subtypes and was markedly decreased by the antagonist of the I1-imidazoline receptors efaroxan, by phospholipase C and protein kinase C inhibitors, and by PD 098059, a direct inhibitor of ERK1 and 2 phosphorylation. CONCLUSION: Dexmedetomidine increases the expression of pERK1 and 2 via mechanisms independent of alpha2AR activation. The I1-imidazoline receptors likely contribute to these effects. The results may be relevant to some long-term effects (e.g., neuroprotective) of dexmedetomidine in the brain.