title: Tat-DJ-1 protects neurons from ischemic damage in the ventral horn of rabbit spinal cord via increasing antioxidant levels.
abstract: The DJ-1 gene is highly conserved in diverse species and DJ-1 is known as an anti-oxidative stress factor. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of DJ-1 against ischemic damage in the rabbit spinal cord. Tat-DJ-1 fusion proteins were constructed to facilitate the penetration of DJ-1 protein into the neurons. Tat-1-DJ-1 fusion protein was administered to the rabbit 30 min after ischemia/reperfusion, and transient spinal cord ischemia was induced by occlusion of the aorta at the subrenal region for 15 min. The administration of Tat-DJ-1 significantly improved the Tarlov score compared to that in the Tat (vehicle)-treated group at 24, 48 and 72 h after ischemia/reperfusion. At 72 h after ischemia/reperfusion, the number of cresyl violet-positive neurons was significantly increased in the Tat-DJ-1-treated group compared to that in the vehicle-treated group. Lipid peroxidation as judged from the malondialdehyde levels was significantly decreased in the Tat-DJ-1-treated group compared to that in the vehicle-treated group. In contrast, superoxide dismutase and catalase levels were significantly increased in the Tat-DJ-1-treated group compared to that in the vehicle-treated group. This result suggests that DJ-1 protects neurons from ischemic damage in the ventral horn of the spinal cord via its antioxidant effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, South Korea.
authors.forename: Woosuk
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dae Won
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hoon Jae
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Dae Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Hyo Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Sung Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Jong Hwi
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jung Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Moo-Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Won
authors.forename: Yeo Sung
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Seung Myung
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Soo Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: In Koo
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D002374:Catalase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000502:physiology; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011817:Rabbits; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000503:physiopathology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020760:Spinal Cord Ischemia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C000591376:Tat-DJ-1 fusion protein, human; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase