title: 3-Amino thioacridone, a selective cyclin-dependent kinase 4 inhibitor, attenuates kainic acid-induced apoptosis in neurons.
abstract: The mechanisms underlying selective neuronal cell death in kainic acid-mediated neurodegeneration are not fully understood. We have recently demonstrated that in cerebellar granule neurons, kainic acid induces the expression of proteins associated with cell-cycle progression. In the present study we show that 3-amino thioacridone (3-ATA), a selective cyclin-dependent kinase 4 inhibitor, attenuates kainic acid-induced apoptosis in cerebellar granule neurons. When neurons were pre-treated with 3-ATA 10 microM for 24 h, they were less susceptible to damage induced by kainic acid 500 microM, since the number of dead cells decreased significantly. In flow cytometry studies using propidium iodide staining, 3-ATA also reduced the ratio of apoptotic cells induced by kainic acid. Moreover, 3-ATA decreased the proportion of cells with a condensed nucleus from 55% to 22%. Our data suggest that the cell cycle pathway is involved in the mechanism of apoptosis mediated by kainic acid and that cyclin-dependent kinase 4 plays a prominent role in this process. 3-ATA may to prevent the apoptosis associated with neurodegenerative disorders without the over-activation of excitatory amino acid receptors.
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Farmacologia i Farmacognòsia, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Nucli Universitari de Pedralbes, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verdaguer
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Jordà
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Canudas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jiménez
authors.forename: F X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Sureda
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rimbau
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pubill
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Escubedo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Camarasa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pallàs
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Camins
mesh_terms: D000609:Aminoacridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D016923:Cell Death; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051358:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000633:toxicity; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: C479067:3-aminothioacridone; D000609:Aminoacridines; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; C495903:Cdk4 protein, rat; D051358:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; D007608:Kainic Acid