Bilateral intranigral NMDA infusion suppresses neuronal injury without affecting the duration of kainic acid-induced seizures in rats.
The substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNpr) is recognized as an important modulator of seizures within the limbic system. We have investigated the effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) infusion into SNpr upon seizure-related neuronal injury (assessed by expression of the 72-kDa heat shock protein - HSP 72) induced by systemic kainic acid (KA) in rats. Three to four days following implantation of guide cannulae for drug administration into SNpr, KA (7 mg/kg) was injected intravenously to induce seizures. Bilateral intranigral infusion of NMDA (20 nmol) 15 min prior to KA injection, suppressed the expression of HSP 72 in the hippocampal CA1 region without affecting seizure duration. These results support the involvement of NMDA receptors within SNpr in modulating neuronal injury following KA-induced limbic seizures.
Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
K
K
Tanaka
D C
DC
Henshall
S
S
Waga
S
S
Shimosaka
R P
RP
Simon
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D007839:Functional Laterality; D050884:HSP72 Heat-Shock Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012640:Seizures / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology
D050884:HSP72 Heat-Shock Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D007608:Kainic Acid