title: The PPARgamma agonist FMOC-L-leucine protects both mature and immature brain.
abstract: (N-[9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl]-)-L-leucine (FMOC-L-leucine) and rosiglitazone, two ligands of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), were evaluated in mature (adult mice) and immature (pups) brain injury models. In adult magnesium-deficient mice, a model responsive to both neuroprotective and anti-seizure compounds, FMOC-L-leucine, but not rosiglitazone, protected against audiogenic seizures. The protection afforded by FMOC-L-leucine was alleviated by the PPARgamma antagonist GW9662 (1-2 mg/kg) and was induced in 50% animals by 4.8+/-1.2 mg/kg. At this dose, FMOC-L-leucine modified audiogenic seizure phase durations in convulsing mice differently than prototype antiepileptic drugs did. FMOC-L-leucine (up to 100 mg/kg) was inactive in the 6 Hz seizure test, an adult animal model largely responsive to anti-seizure drugs. In a model of neonatal brain injury, FMOC-L-leucine (4 microg/kg) was neuroprotective against cerebral ibotenate toxicity. It reduced significantly the size of lesions in grey but not in white matter, while rosiglitazone (10 microg/kg) was inactive. Taken as a whole, the present data support neuroprotective potentialities of FMOC-L-leucine towards both mature and immature brain. The PPAR-based protection of immature brain is more important as it is known that classic adult brain protectants (GABA(A) activators, N-methyl-D-aspartate and sodium channel blockers) may be toxic for immature brain. The PPARgamma agonist FMOC-L-leucine is likely to be devoid of these classic protective mechanisms because of its inactivity in the 6 Hz seizure test, its activity in the audiogenic test being explained by neuroprotective rather than intrinsic anti-seizure mechanisms. Targeting PPARs might be thus a promising way to protect immature brain.
authors.affiliation: CNRS UMR 8162, Centre Chirurgical Marie Lannelongue, F-92350 Le Plessis-Robinson, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris-Sud 11, Châtenay-Malabry, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maurois
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rocchi
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pages
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bac
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Stables
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gressens
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vamecq
mesh_terms: D000813:Anilides / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D007051:Ibotenic Acid / Q000633:toxicity; D007930:Leucine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000819:agonists*; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C530721:(N-(9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl)-)-L-leucine; C457499:2-chloro-5-nitrobenzanilide; D000813:Anilides; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D047495:PPAR gamma; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D007051:Ibotenic Acid; D007930:Leucine