title: Huperzine A, but not tacrine, stimulates S100B secretion in astrocyte cultures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The loss of cholinergic function in the central nervous system contributes significantly to the cognitive decline associated with advanced age and dementias. Huperzine A (HupA) is a selective inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and has been shown to significantly reduce cognitive impairment in animal models of dementia. Based on the importance of astrocytes in physiological and pathological brain activities, we investigated the effect of HupA and tacrine on S100B secretion in primary astrocyte cultures. S100B is an astrocyte-derived protein that has been proposed to be a marker of brain injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary astrocyte cultures were exposed to HupA, tacrine, cholinergic agonists, and S100B secretion was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at 1 and 24h.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HupA, but not tacrine, at 100μM significantly increased S100B secretion in astrocyte cultures. Nicotine (at 100 and 1000μM) was able to stimulate S100B secretion in astrocyte cultures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data reinforce the idea that AChE inhibitors, particularly HupA, do not act exclusively on the acetylcholine balance. This effect of HupA could contribute to improve the cognitive deficit observed in patients, which are attributed to cholinergic dysfunction. In addition, for the first time, to our knowledge, these data indicate that S100B secretion can be modulated by nicotinic receptors, in addition to glutamate, dopamine and serotonin receptors.
authors: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-Anexo, 90035-003 Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: Paula
authors: P
authors: Lunardi
authors: Patrícia
authors: P
authors: Nardin
authors: Maria Cristina
authors: MC
authors: Guerra
authors: Renata
authors: R
authors: Abib
authors: Marina Concli
authors: MC
authors: Leite
authors: Carlos-Alberto
authors: CA
authors: Gonçalves
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013619:Tacrine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins; C579158:S100b protein, rat; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C050426:huperzine A; D013619:Tacrine