title: Flupirtine partially prevents neuronal injury induced by prion protein fragment and lead acetate.
abstract: Flupirtine belongs to the class of triaminopyridines and is successfully applied clinically as a non-opiate analgesic drug with additional muscle relaxant properties. Recently it was reported that flupirtine acts like an antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor complex in neuronal cells both in vitro and in vivo. Here we have used primary cortical cells from rat embryos to demonstrate that this compound is also neuroprotective against the toxic effects caused by the prion agent PrPSc and lead acetate (Pb). These two agents display pleiotropic effects on neurons, which include activation of the NMDA receptor complex. At concentrations above 30 microM the toxic-peptide fragment of PrPSc causes apoptotic fragmentation of DNA and is consequently neurotoxic. Pb is neurotoxic at concentrations above 10 microM. Co-administration of flupirtine (10 microM) with either of these agents resulted in reduced neurotoxicity. These data indicate that the cytoprotective effect of flupirtine is measurable in vitro against these noxious agents which show their effects, including modulation of the NMDA receptor complex, pleiotropically.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung 'Angewandte Molekularbiologie', Institute für Physiologische Cehmie, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perovic
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pergande
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ushijima
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kelve
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Forrest
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000631:Aminopyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D007854:Lead; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D011328:Prions / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000631:Aminopyridines; D000700:Analgesics; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011328:Prions; C082632:prion protein (106-126); D007854:Lead; C034161:flupirtine; C008261:lead acetate