title: Caspase-3-dependent neuronal death in the hippocampus following kainic acid treatment.
abstract: In this study, we examined the levels of activated caspase-3 in the kainic acid (KA) model of hippocampal degeneration in both sensitive (FVB/N) and resistant (129/SvEMS) strains of mice. At 30 h, 2 and 4 days following KA administration, animals were sacrificed and brains examined for pyknosis, TUNEL labeling, and activated caspase-3 immunoreactivity. Catalytically active caspase-3 was first detected 30 h following KA treatment in the sensitive, FVB/N strain. This was 18 h before the appearance of pyknosis or TUNEL labeling. The expression of activated caspase-3 continues up to 4 days post-injection. No activated caspase-3 immunoreactivity was detected in the resistant, 129/SvEMS strain, neither was there evidence of pyknosis or TUNEL staining. This suggests that activation of caspase-3 is a necessary component of KA-induced cell death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 332 North Lauderdale, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Faherty
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xanthoudakis
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Smeyne
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000502:physiology*; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D007608:Kainic Acid