The effect of prostacyclin on the morphological and enzymatic properties of CNS cultures exposed to anoxia.
Organotypic cultures of rat cerebella were exposed to anoxia for 30 min. Prostacyclin (0.5 micrograms/ml medium) or 0.05 M Tris buffer pH 7.5 were added to the cultures immediately before exposure to anoxia. Cultures for histological, histoenzymatic and electron microscopic examination were taken immediately, 30 min and one, three, 24 and 72 h following anoxia. Cultures pretreated with prostacyclin showed a marked decrease in lactate dehydrogenase activity. Electron microscopic examination revealed that severe swelling and degenerative changes of neurons and glia induced by anoxia were much less pronounced in cultures treated with PGI2. Prostacyclin pretreatment also resulted in the appearance of morphological features of activation in glial cells. The results indicate that prostacyclin exerts a cytoprotective effect on the nerve tissue in vitro, predominantly reducing cell swelling and acidosis. This direct protection, besides vascular action of prostacyclin, may provide a basis for its beneficial clinical effect in ischemic stroke.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D046508:Culture Techniques; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D011464:Epoprostenol; D010100:Oxygen