title: Time-dependent changes in BDNF expression of pentylenetetrazole-induced hippocampal astrocytes in vitro.
abstract: Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), a γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA(A)) receptor antagonist, has been used extensively to induce seizures in animal models of epilepsy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of PTZ on hippocampal astrocytes. Cells were incubated with 10, 20, or 40 mM PTZ for 24h and viability and apoptosis were examined using an MTT assay and Hoechst staining. The high concentration of PTZ (20 and 40 mM) resulted in a significant decrease in viability (MTT: 83.6 ± 7.8% and 69.3 ± 4.2%, respectively) (P<0.01), whereas the lower concentration of PTZ (10mM) did not induce cell apoptosis or reduce viability. When cells were treated with 10mM PTZ for 0, 0.5, 2, 4, 8, 12, or 24h, the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), both protein and mRNA, was significantly reduced at 2 to 12h of culture (P<0.01), with maximal reduction detected at 8h; expression was restored to near control levels after 24h. Collectively, our results suggest that astrocytes may participate in epilepsy through a marked, but transient decrease in BDNF expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Ming-Feng
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wen-Juan
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Wen-Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wen-Chao
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wo
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Wen-Long
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Ding
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003292:Convulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018756:GABA Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D003292:Convulsants; D018756:GABA Antagonists; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole