title: Increased TUNEL positive cells in human alcoholic brains.
abstract: Alcohol-sensitive neuronal cell loss, which has been reported in the superior frontal cortex and hippocampus, may underlie the pathogenesis of subsequent cognitive deficits. In the present study, we have used the TUNEL labeling to detect the DNA damage in human alcoholic brains. Seven out of eleven alcoholics exhibited TUNEL-positive cells in both superior frontal cortex and hippocampus, which were co-localized with GFAP immunoreactivity. In contrast, almost no positive cells were detected in the non-alcoholic controls. None of the TUNEL-positive cells showed any typical morphological features of apoptosis or necrosis. TUNEL-positive cells observed in the present study may indicate DNA damage induced by ethanol-related overproduction of reactive oxygen species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1-Hikarigaoka, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ikegami
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goodenough
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Dodd
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Wilce
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020268:Alcohol-Induced Disorders, Nervous System / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005911:Gliosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D000431:Ethanol