Alterations in Calcium Signalingand a Decrease in Bcl-2 Expression: Possible Correlation With Apoptosisin Aged Striatum
Journal of Neuroscience Research
; 88(2): 438-447, Sept 22, 2009.
Article
in English
| Sec. Est. Saúde SP, SESSP-IBPROD, Sec. Est. Saúde SP, SESSP-IBACERVO
| ID: biblio-1064314
Responsible library:
BR78.1
Localization: BR78.1
ABSTRACT
Aging is a multifaceted process associated with various functional and structural deficits that might be evolved in degenerative diseases. It has been shown that neurodegenerative disorders are associated with alterations in Ca2+ homeostasis. Thus, in the present work, we have investigated Ca2+ signaling and apoptosis in aged striatum. Our results show that glutamate and NMDA evoke a greater Ca2+ rise in striatum slices from aged animals. However, this difference is not present when glutamate is tested in the absence of external Ca2+. Immunostaining of glutamate receptors shows that only NMDA receptors (NR1) are increased in the striatum of aged rats. Increases in mitochondrial Ca2+ content and in the reactive oxygen species levels were also observed in aged animals, which could be associated with tissue vulnerability. In addition, a decrease in the Bcl-2 protein expression and an enhancement in apoptosis were also present in aged striatum. Together the results indicate that, in aged animals, alterations in Ca2+ handling coupled to an increase in ROS accumulation and a decrease in the prosurvival protein Bcl-2 may contribute to apoptosis induction and cell death in rat striatum.
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Collection:
National databases
/
Brazil
Database:
Sec. Est. Saúde SP
/
SESSP-IBACERVO
/
SESSP-IBPROD
Main subject:
Rats
/
Cellular Senescence
/
Apoptosis
Limits:
Animals
Language:
English
Journal:
Journal of Neuroscience Research
Year:
2009
Document type:
Article
Institution/Affiliation country:
Instituto Butantan/BR