title: Effect of treatment with the dihydropyridine-type calcium antagonist darodipine (PY 108-068) on the expression of calbindin D-28K immunoreactivity in the cerebellar cortex of aged rats.
abstract: The influence of long term treatment with the dihydropyridine-type Ca2+ antagonist darodipine (PY 108-068) on age-dependent changes in calbindin D-28K immunoreactivity in the cerebellar cortex of male Wistar rats was assessed. In 12-month-old rats used as an adult reference group, specific calbindin D-28K immunoreactivity was found within the cytoplasm of Purkinje neurons and their dendritic processes. The number of Purkinje neurons displaying calbindin D-28K immunoreactivity was decreased in the cerebellar cortex of aged in comparison with adult rats. The pattern of calbindin D-28K immunoreactivity was similar in the cerebellar cortex of 24-month-old rats (aged), although a significant decrease in the intensity of immunoreactivity was noticeable. Treatment of aged rats with darodipine for 6 months increased the percentage of immunoreactive Purkinje neurons and the intensity of calbindin D-28K immunoreactivity in the cytoplasm of Purkinje neurons. Calbindin D-28K is a Ca2+ binding protein probably involved in the modulation of Ca2+ homeostasis. The observation of a positive effect of darodipine treatment on calbindin D-28K immunoreactivity in the cerebellar cortex suggests that manipulation of dihydropyridine-type Ca2+ channels may contribute to counter age-dependent changes of Ca2+ homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Anatomia Umana, Istituto di Farmacologia, Università di Camerino, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amenta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Naves
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vega
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zaccheo
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D064026:Calbindins; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D002525:Cerebellar Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D064026:Calbindins; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G; D009543:Nifedipine; C034600:darodipine