title: Vitamin E affects cell death in adult rat dentate gyrus.
abstract: We have previously reported the presence of dying cells in the granule cell layer (GCL) of adult rat dentate gyrus (DG), where neurogenesis occurs. In particular, we found that cell death in the GCL increased in vitamin E deficiency and decreased in vitamin E supplementation. These findings were regarded as related to changes in neurogenesis rate, which in turn was influenced by vitamin E availability; a neuroprotective effect of vitamin E on cell death was also proposed. In order to verify this latter hypothesis, we have studied cell death in all layers of DG in vitamin E-deficient and vitamin E-supplemented rats and in control rats at different ages, using TUNEL and nick translation techniques. The phenotype of TUNEL-positive cells was characterized and the existence of dying BrdU-positive cells was investigated. Dying cells with neuronal phenotype were observed throughout the DG in all experimental groups. The number of TUNEL-positive cells decreased from juvenile to adult age. A higher number of TUNEL-positive cells in vitamin E-deficient rats and a lower number in vitamin E-supplemented rats, with respect to age-matched controls, were found; moreover, in these groups, TUNEL-positive cells had a different percentage distribution in the different layers of the DG. Our results confirm the occurrence of cell death in DG, demonstrate that cell death affects neuronal cells and support the hypothesis that the effect of vitamin E on cell death is not related to neurogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Morphological Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, I-61029 Urbino, Italy. p.ferri@uniurb.it
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cecchini
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ciaroni
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ambrogini
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cuppini
authors.forename: Spartaco
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Santi
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benedetti
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pagliarani
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Del Grande
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Papa
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D002452:Cell Count; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D014810:Vitamin E; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine