title: Cyclosporine-A treatment prevents apoptosis in rat lumbar ganglion cells.
abstract: We evaluated the expression of pro-apoptotic Bax and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 in lumbar ganglion cells of rats by immunohistochemistry under normal conditions and after 7, 14 and 21 days of cyclosporine-A treatment (7 and 15 mg/kg/daily). In normal rats, Bax was weakly expressed in all types of neurons, whereas satellite cells showed moderate immunostaining. Bcl-2 expression was weak in type A neurons and weak or moderate in type B and C neurons and also into satellite cells. In cyclosporine-A-treated rats, we found changes in Bax staining of neurons: type A neurons and type B neurons were weakly stained, whereas type C neurons were moderately stained. Bax expression in satellite cells was moderate after 7 days of treatment and increased strongly after 14 and 21 days of treatment. Bcl-2 expression increased significantly in neurons after 14 and even more after 21 days of treatment with 7 mg/kg cyclosporine-A, mainly in type B and C neurons. With 15 mg/kg cyclosporine-A, Bcl-2 increased moderately in type A and B neurons and strongly in type C neurons only after 7 days. After 14 and 21 days, Bcl-2 expression was moderate in type A neurons whereas it was strong or even very strong in type B and C neurons. Satellite cells showed a moderate increase in Bcl-2 after 7 and 14 days of treatment whereas after 21 days, expression was strong. We conclude that (1) in normal conditions, Bax and Bcl-2 were differently expressed in neurons and satellite cells; (2) cyclosporine-A treatment rapidly enhanced Bax expression in satellite cells only, whereas Bcl-2 expression increased moderately in type A neurons and was strongly expressed in type B and C neurons; (3) cyclosporine-A has a protective role in neurons but not in satellite cells; and (4) the neuroprotective role of cyclosporine-A is dose dependent. Furthermore, the strong expression of Bax in satellite cells can explain the temporary nature of the neurotoxic effect commonly observed after cyclosporine-A administration.
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Anatomy, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Brescia, viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rezzani
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corsetti
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rodella
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bianchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
chemical_list: C494828:Bax protein, rat; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D016572:Cyclosporine