title: Suppression of synaptic plasticity by fullerenol in rat hippocampus in vitro.
abstract: Fullerenol, a water-soluble fullerene derivative, has attracted much attention due to its bioactive properties, including the antioxidative properties and free radical scavenging ability. Due to its superior nature, fullerenol represents a promising diagnostic, therapeutic, and protective agent. Therefore, elucidation of the possible side effects of fullerenol is important in determining its potential role. In the present study, we investigated the acute effects of 5 μM fullerenol on synaptic plasticity in hippocampal brain slices of rats. Incubation with fullerenol for 20 minutes significantly decreased the peak of paired-pulse facilitation and long-term potentiation, indicating that fullerenol suppresses the short- and long-term synaptic plasticity of region I of hippocampus. We found that fullerenol depressed the activity and the expression of nitric oxide (NO) synthase in hippocampus. In view of the important role of NO in synaptic plasticity, the inhibition of fullerenol on NO synthase may contribute to the suppression of synaptic plasticity. These findings may facilitate the evaluation of the side effects of fullerenol.
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases; Auditory Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xin-Xing
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Cell Electrophysiology Laboratory, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ying-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Zha
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases; Auditory Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases; Auditory Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037741:Fullerenes / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects*; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D037741:Fullerenes; C108127:fullerenol; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase
keywords: fullerenol; hippocampal slice; nitric oxide synthase; oxidative stress; synaptic plasticity