Hypothalamic neurons are resistant to the intoxication with 3-nitropropionic acid that induces lesions in the striatum and hippocampus via the damage in the blood-brain barrier.
Modulation of the function of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in the hypothalamus was investigated after the intoxication with 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NPA) that inhibits the succinate dehydrogenase. 3-NPA was administered to rats for three days. Following transcardial perfusion, brain sections were studied by immunohistochemistry. On the 2nd or 3rd day after 3-NPA, strong immunoreactions for blood-borne macromolecules, IgG, appeared in the striatum and hippocampus. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) positive astroglias distributed heterogeneously, and induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) positive cells appeared around the vessels. A week later, bilateral lesions were detected in these areas. In the hypothalamus, there appeared a moderate immunoreaction for IgG, but no expression of iNOS. GFAP positive astroglias were rich especially around the vessels, and no loss in microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) immunoreaction was detected, suggesting an intact BBB structure and no neuronal loss following 3-NPA intoxication. Data indicate that hypothalamic neurons are resistant to 3-NPA that induces specific lesions in the striatum and hippocampus via the damage in the BBB.
Nishino
H
H
Department of Physiology, Nagoya City University Medical School, Japan.
Shimano
Y
Y
Kumazaki
M
M
Sakurai
T
T
Hida
H
H
Fujimoto
I
I
Fukuda
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000187:drug effects; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000506:poisoning*; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D011422:Propionates / Q000506:poisoning*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009498:Neurotoxins; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D011422:Propionates; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase; C015392:3-nitropropionic acid