Neuronal death and tumor necrosis factor-alpha response to glutamate-induced excitotoxicity in the cerebral cortex of neonatal rats.
Neuronal death and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity were evaluated in the cerebral cortices of neonatal rats after exposure to monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) to induce neuroexcitotoxicity. A time-response profile for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) expression was drawn, with measurements taken every 6 h after the first dose of MSG during the first 8 postnatal days, and at days 10 and 14 after birth. An increase in neuronal loss accompanied by high LDH activity and high TNF-alpha levels was observed at 8 and 10 days. These results indicate that neuronal loss may occur via an apoptosis-like mechanism directed selectively against neurons that express glutamate receptors, mainly the N-methyl-D-aspartate, which it may be strengthen by high TNF-alpha levels through a feedback mechanism to induce cell death via apoptosis.
Chaparro-Huerta
V
V
División de Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Occidente (CIBO), Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), P.O. 4-160, Guadalajara, Jalisco 44421, Mexico.
Rivera-Cervantes
M C
MC
Torres-Mendoza
B M
BM
Beas-Zárate
C
C
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D016923:Cell Death; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018846:Excitatory Amino Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D012970:Sodium Glutamate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D018846:Excitatory Amino Acids; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D012970:Sodium Glutamate