title: Mitochondrial ultrastructure and apoptotic protein expression in the vestibular nucleus complex following unilateral labyrinthectomy.
abstract: We hypothesized that peripheral vestibular disorders might affect mitochondria in the vestibular nucleus complex (VNC). We tested this using unilateral labyrinthectomy (UL) as a model for the effects of vestibular damage on the VNC and used Western blotting and electron microscopy to analyze mitochondria. In rats receiving UL we did not find any changes in mitochondrial ultrastructure in the medial vestibular nucleus following UL, and there was no change in the expression or activation of the apoptosis effector caspase-3 in the whole VNC following UL. However, we did detect a small but statistically significant upregulation of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 in the contralateral VNC at 10 h post-UL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago Medical School, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. john.ashton@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ashton
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Little
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muir
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Darlington
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000601:surgery; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007759:Labyrinth Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D014726:Vestibular Nuclei / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases