title: Polydeoxyribonucleotide (defibrotide) protects against post-ischemic behavioral, electroencephalographic and neuronal damage in the gerbil.
abstract: The effectiveness of defibrotide, a single-stranded polydeoxyribonucleotide compound, in preventing damage caused by cerebral ischemia was studied. Global ischemia was induced in anesthetized gerbils by bilateral carotid artery occlusion for 10 min. Defibrotide (100 mg/kg) or saline was injected, i.v., immediately after reperfusion. The following parameters were evaluated simultaneously: (1) electroencephalographic (EEG) spectral power, recorded before, during and after the ischemic period; (2) body temperature, monitored with a rectal thermistor probe after reperfusion for 120 min; (3) spontaneous motility, evaluated through a photocell system and quantified in terms of total distance travelled in 30 min, 1 h after recirculation and at periods over 15 days; (4) mnemonic functions assessed by passive avoidance test from 3 to 15 days after ischemia; (5) histological examination, 7 days after reperfusion, counting CA1 hippocampal neuronal cells. The ischemia-induced complete flattening of spectral power was significantly reversed (P < 0.01) by post-ischemic treatment with defibrotide between 30 and 90 min after ischemia. A complete recovery of total EEG spectral power was seen in the defibrotide group at 6 h and the saline ischemic group at 1 day. Seven days after bilateral carotid occlusion, there was a significant decrease in spectral power (-70% +/- 6) together with a loss of the number of CA1 cells in the saline ischemic group (-64%). Treatment with defibrotide significantly protected against the decrease in spectral power (-30% +/- 7) and cell loss (-9%). Finally, the number of animals found to be protected against the ischemia-induced flattening was significantly larger for defibrotide-treated gerbils than for saline-treated animals throughout the experiment except for the third day. Body temperature was significantly decreased only at 30 min after reperfusion in both ischemic and sham-operated groups. Defibrotide reduced ischemia-induced hypermotility but only 6 h after the insult. The ischemia-induced impairment of memory was partially reversed within 3 days in the defibrotide-treated animals and fully reversed within 7 days in the defibrotide group and 15 days in the saline group. Our results demonstrate that defibrotide, even when administered after the post-ischemic period, possesses anti-ischemic properties. The mechanism by which defibrotide protects the ischemic reperfused brain is still largely unknown. However, a neuroprotection via adenosine A1 and A2 subtype receptor interaction can be put forward.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences, University of Milan, Italy. gori@imiucca.csi.unimi.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lampugnani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Matturri
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gori
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects*; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D011089:Polydeoxyribonucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D011089:Polydeoxyribonucleotides; C036901:defibrotide