title: VIP neuroprotection against excitotoxic lesions of the developing mouse brain.
abstract: Intracerebral administration of the excitotoxin ibotenate to new-born mice induced white-matter lesions mimicking the periventricular leukomalacia occurring in human premature babies. In this model, co-injection of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) prevented white-matter lesions. VIP did not prevent the initial appearance of white-matter lesion, but promoted a secondary repair with axonal regrowth. Co-administration of ibotenate, VIP, and transduction inhibitors showed that protein kinase C (PKC) and mitogen-associated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways were critical for neuroprotection. The combination of in vitro and in vivo studies suggested the following model: VIP activates PKC in astrocytes, which release soluble factors; these released factors activate neuronal MAPK and PKC, which will permit axonal regrowth. Previous studies had shown that VIP-treated cultured astrocytes release growth factors including activity-dependent neurotrophic factor (ADNF) and that a 14-amino-acid peptide derived from ADNF protected the developing white matter against ibotenate. However, co-treatment with ibotenate, VIP, and anti-ADNF antibodies did not abolish VIP-induced protection, suggesting that ADNF does not mediate VIP protective properties in the present model.
authors.affiliation: Service de Neuropédiatrie and INSERM E 9935, Hôpital Robert-Debré, Paris, France. pierre.gressens@rdb.ap-hop-paris.fr
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gressens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology*; D006801:Humans; D007051:Ibotenic Acid / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009498:Neurotoxins; D007051:Ibotenic Acid; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases