title: Ethanol-induced injury in rat primary cortical astrocytes involves oxidative stress: effect of idebenone.
abstract: Ethanol-induced neurological disorders have recently been characterised. Indeed, evidence has been collected indicating that chronic ethanol consumption leads to direct or indirect changes in the viability of central nervous system cells. Here we investigated the role of free radical overproduction in primary cortical rat astroglial cells undergoing chronic treatment with ethanol (100 microM). In particular, exposure of astroglial cell cultures to ethanol for 12 consecutive days produced an increased release of lactic dehydrogenase, a decrease on glutamine synthase activity being both effects accompanied by decrease in astroglial viability as detected by MTT (Thiazolyl Blue) test. These effects were accompanied by an increased formation of malondialdehyde (a marker of lipid peroxidation) and by abnormal formation of heat shock protein, being both effects antagonised by liposomally entrapped idebenone, a non-peptidyl free radical scavenger. Taken together, these results suggest that ethanol-induced injury on astroglial cells are mediated by abnormal formation of free radical species and this may represent a useful approach in the treatment of ethanol-related brain disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacobiological Sciences, University of Catanzaro Magna Graecia, Complesso Ninì Barbieri, I-88021 Roccelletta di Borgia, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muscoli
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fresta
authors.forename: Venera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cardile
authors.forename: Maddalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palumbo
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Renis
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Puglisi
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Paolino
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nisticò
authors.forename: Domenicantonio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rotiroti
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mollace
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D008081:Liposomes / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D016227:Benzoquinones; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D005609:Free Radicals; D008081:Liposomes; D014451:Ubiquinone; D000431:Ethanol; C036619:idebenone