Prolidase enzyme is required for extracellular matrix integrity and impacts on postnatal cerebellar cortex development.

The extracellular matrix is essential for brain development, lamination, and synaptogenesis. In particular, the basement membrane below the pial meninx (pBM) is required for correct cortical development. The last step in the catabolism of the most abundant protein in pBM, collagen Type IV, requires prolidase, an exopeptidase cleaving the imidodipeptides containing pro or hyp at the C-terminal end. Mutations impairing prolidase activity lead in humans to the rare disease prolidase deficiency characterized by severe skin ulcers and mental impairment. Thus, the dark-like (dal) mouse, in which the prolidase is knocked-out, was used to investigate whether the deficiency of prolidase affects the neuronal maturation during development of a brain cortex area. Focusing on the cerebellar cortex, thinner collagen fibers and disorganized pBM were found. Aberrant cortical granule cell proliferation and migration occurred, associated to defects in brain lamination, and in particular in maturation of Purkinje neurons and formation of synaptic contacts. This study deeply elucidates a link between prolidase activity and neuronal maturation shedding new light on the molecular basis of functional aspects in the prolidase deficiency.

Calcium-Binding Proteins in the Nervous System during Hibernation: Neuroprotective Strategies in Hypometabolic Conditions?

Calcium-binding proteins (CBPs) can influence and react to Ca2+ transients and modulate the activity of proteins involved in both maintaining homeostatic conditions and protecting cells in harsh environmental conditions. Hibernation is a strategy that evolved in vertebrate and invertebrate species to survive in cold environments; it relies on molecular, cellular, and behavioral adaptations guided by the neuroendocrine system that together ensure unmatched tolerance to hypothermia, hypometabolism, and hypoxia. Therefore, hibernation is a useful model to study molecular neuroprotective adaptations to extreme conditions, and can reveal useful applications to human pathological conditions. In this review, we describe the known changes in Ca2+-signaling and the detection and activity of CBPs in the nervous system of vertebrate and invertebrate models during hibernation, focusing on cytosolic Ca2+ buffers and calmodulin. Then, we discuss these findings in the context of the neuroprotective and neural plasticity mechanisms in the central nervous system: in particular, those associated with cytoskeletal proteins. Finally, we compare the expression of CBPs in the hibernating nervous system with two different conditions of neurodegeneration, i.e., platinum-induced neurotoxicity and Alzheimer's disease, to highlight the similarities and differences and demonstrate the potential of hibernation to shed light into part of the molecular mechanisms behind neurodegenerative diseases.

Long-term effects after treatment with platinum compounds, cisplatin and [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)]: Autophagy activation in rat B50 neuroblastoma cells.

Cisplatin (cisPt), among the best known components of multi-drug front-line therapies used for the treatments of solid tumors, such as the childhood neuroblastoma, acts through DNA linking. Nevertheless, the cisPt effectiveness is compromised by the onset of severe side effects, including neurotoxicity that results in neurodegeneration, cell death, and drug-resistance. In the field of experimental oncology, aimed at overcoming cytotoxicity and chemoresistance, great efforts are devoted to the synthesis of new platinum-based drugs, such as [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] (PtAcacDMS), which shows a specific reactivity with sulfur residues of enzymes involved in apoptosis. Autophagy, an evolutionary conserved degradation pathway for recycling of cytoplasmic components, represents one of the mechanisms adopted by cancer cells which contribute to drug-resistance. In the present study, standard acute (48 h-exposure) and long-term effects (7 day-recovery after treatment or 7 day-recovery followed by reseeding and 96 h-growth), of cisPt and PtAcacDMS (40 and 10 µM, respectively) were investigated in vitro employing rat B50 neuroblastoma as a cancer model. Using fluorescence and electron microscopy, as well as biochemical techniques, our data highlight a key role of the autophagic process in B50 cells. Specifically, long-term effects caused by cisPt lead to inhibition of the apoptotic process and paralleled by the activation of autophagy, thus evidencing that autophagy has a protective role after cisPt exposure, allowing cells to survive. Whereas, long-term effects produced by PtAcacDMS lead toward both apoptosis and autophagy activation. In conclusion, autophagy may represents an alternative cell death pathway, circumventing drug-resistance strategies employed by cancer cells to survive chemoterapy.

Hibernation induces changes in the metacerebral neurons of Cornu aspersum: distribution and co-localization of cytoskeletal and calcium-binding proteins.

Pulmonate gastropods provide unique opportunities to examine physiological and biochemical adaptation strategies when cellular metabolic activity is reduced. In this study, cytochemical changes in metacerebral neurons of the cerebral ganglia were investigated in the garden snail Cornu aspersum during the hibernation phase. The immunocytochemical expression of three cytoskeletal markers: microtubule-associate protein 2-like (MAP-2-li), phosphorylated form of tau-like (P-Tau-li) and heavy subunit of neurofilaments-like (NF-H-li), and of two calcium-binding proteins: calmodulin-like (CaM-li) and parvalbumin-like (PV-li) was compared in active and hibernated snails. The immunopositivity for all the markers increased during hibernation versus activity in metacerebral neurons, with the notable exception of PV-li, which remained highly expressed during the whole annual cycle. Strongly positive aggregates of MAP-2-li and P-Tau-li were detected in the somata of hibernated snail neurons. P-Tau-li aggregates co-localized with CaM-li-labelled masses during hibernation. In addition, increased labelling of NF-H-li epitopes was associated with enhancement of CaM immunopositivity. These changes may reflect neural plasticity mechanisms mainly mediated by microtubule-associated proteins and CaM. Moreover, neuroprotective strategies may allow neurons to endure the prolonged hypometabolic conditions, taking into account that many of the functions controlled by the metacerebrum, such as feeding and movement, are suspended during hibernation. In this context, the molluscan ganglia model offers an easy opportunity to understand the molecular mechanisms behind these life cycle changes in cell physiology and to investigate possible cytological similarities among distantly related animals that adapt to the same environmental challenges through hibernation.

[Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] versus cisplatin: apoptotic effects in B50 neuroblastoma cells.

Cisplatin is one of the most active chemotherapeutic agents used in the treatment of childhood and adult malignancies. Cisplatin induces cell death through different pathways. Despite its effectiveness, the continued clinical use of cisplatin is limited by onset of severe side effects (nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity and neurotoxicity) and drug resistance. Therefore, one of the main experimental oncology purpose is related to the search for new platinum-based drugs to create different types of adducts or more specific and effective subcellular targets. Thus, [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)], which reacts preferentially with protein thiols or thioether, was synthesized. In our research, different approaches were used to compare cisplatin and [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] effects in B50 rat neuroblastoma cells. Our results, using immunocytochemical, cytometric and morphological techniques, showed that these compounds exert a cytostatic action and activate apoptosis with different pathways. Long-term effects demonstrated that [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] exerts cytotoxic effects in neuronal B50 cell line not inducing drug resistance. Analysis was performed both to compare the ability of these platinum compounds to induce cell death and to investigate the intracellular mechanisms at the basis of their cytotoxicity.

Renal fibrogenesis and platinum compounds in a rat model: a novel Pt (II) complex vs. cisplatin.

BACKGROUND/AIM: A new platinum compound, (Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)) (PtAcacDMS), has been shown to possess higher cytotoxic activity than cisplatin on several cancer and chemoresistant cell lines. The aim of the present study was to compare the nephrotoxic effects - particularly renal fibrogenesis- of PtAcacDMS and cisplatin in rats after the subcutaneous administration of a single dose (5 mg/Kg b.w., s.c.) of either compound to ten-day-old rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Control and treated rats were killed 1 day (PD11), 7 days (PD17), 21 days (PD31) and 40 days (PD50) after the injection. Kidneys were processed for light and electron microscopy, and platinum determination. Antibodies against E-cadherin (E-cad), vimentin (VIM) and α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) were used to identify epithelial and mesenchymal cells. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Cisplatin produced progressive cortical fibrotic lesions displaying a variable number of VIM-positive tubules and interstitial αSMA-positive cells around. By contrast, PtAcacDMS induced a minimal number of histopathological changes, which declined in the adult samples, while the renal platinum content was generally higher after PtAcacDMS than after cisplatin. The present experimental model was proven suitable to investigate the occurrence of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in renal fibrogenesis induced by the platinum-based compounds.

Cerebellum neurotransmission during postnatal development: [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] vs cisplatin and neurotoxicity.

Several chemotherapeutic drugs are known to cause neurotoxicity. Platinum-based agents in use or in clinical trials display neurotoxic potential accompanied by neurological complications; recent studies have identified a large number of behavioural issues in paediatric oncology patients. To understand the toxicity of platinum drugs at the molecular and cellular levels, this study compares the possible cytotoxic effects of an older platinum compound, cisplatin and a new platinum compound, [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)], on the CNS of postnatally developing rats, which is much more vulnerable to injury than the CNS of adult rats. Since several drugs interact with neurotransmitters during neuronal maturation, we performed immunostainings with antibodies raised against markers of glutamate and GABA, the major neurotransmitters in the cerebellum. After a single injection of cisplatin at postnatal day 10 (PD10), the labelling of Purkinje cells with the neurotransmitter markers evidenced alterations between PD11 and PD30, i.e. atrophy of the dendrite tree, changes in the distribution of synaptic contacts of parallel and climbing fibres, delay in the elimination of transient synapses on cell soma and severely impaired pinceau formation at the axon hillock. After treatment with [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)], the sole relevant change concerned the timing of climbing fibres elimination; the transient synapses disappearance on the Purkinje cell soma was delayed in some cells; instead, the growth of Purkinje cell dendrite tree was normal as was the formation of inhibitory synaptic contacts on these neurons. These findings add new evidence not only on the lower neurotoxicity of [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] vs cisplatin but also on the involvement of neurotransmitters and relative synaptic connections in the maturation of central nerve tissue.

Neurotoxic Effects of Platinum Compounds: Studies in vivo on Intracellular Calcium Homeostasis in the Immature Central Nervous System.

Platinum compounds cause significant clinical neurotoxicity. Several studies highlight neurological complications especially in paediatric oncology patients with Central Nervous System (CNS) and non-CNS malignancies. To understand the toxicity mechanisms of platinum drugs at cellular and molecular levels in the immature brain, which appears more vulnerable to injury than in the adult one, we compared the effects in vivo of the most used platinum compounds, i.e., cisdichlorodiammineplatinum (cisplatin, cisPt), and the new [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] (PtAcacDMS). As models of developing brain areas, we have chosen the cerebellum and hippocampus dentate gyrus. Both areas show the neurogenesis events, from proliferation to differentiation and synaptogenesis, and therefore allow comparing the action of platinum compounds with DNA and non-DNA targets. Here, we focused on the changes in the intracellular calcium homeostasis within CNS architecture, using two immunohistochemical markers, the calcium buffer protein Calbindin and Plasma Membrane Calcium ATPase. From the comparison of the cisPt and PtAcacDMS effects, it emerges how essential the equilibrium and synergy between CB and PMCA1 is or how important the presence of at least one of them is to warrant the morphology and function of nervous tissue and limit neuroarchitecture damages, depending on the peculiar and intrinsic properties of the developing CNS areas.

Platinum drugs and neurotoxicity: effects on intracellular calcium homeostasis.

[Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] (PtAcacDMS) is a new platinum compound showing low reactivity with nucleobases and specific reactivity with sulfur ligands intracellularly. It induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells, but appears to be less neurotoxic to the developing cerebellum than cisplatin (cisPt). The aim of this study was to assess the neurotoxicity of platinum compounds on calcium homeostasis in the dentate gyrus and Cornu Ammonis regions of the hippocampal formation during rat postnatal development. Two intracellular calcium homeostasis systems were taken for measurement, calbindin, a calcium buffer protein, and a plasma membrane calcium ATPase (PMCA1). The platinum compounds showed different effects on these markers in the two areas. One day after injection (PD11), cisPt decreased calbindin immunoreactivity and PMCA1 labeling in both regions; at PD17, the downregulation of PMCA1 persisted. Instead, PtAcacDMS produced varying effects on calbindin immunoreactivity in the two regions at PD11 and PD17; but in all cases, the changes incurred in calbindin immunoreactivity were counterbalanced by changes produced in PMCA1 expression. In conclusion, PtAcacDMS seems to affect calcium homeostasis in the central nervous system differently than cisPt. Both the platinum compounds act early to alter the calbindin buffering system. However, the most important difference between cisPt and PtAcacDMS is that, in vivo, the latter acts early to stimulate calcium efflux from nerve cells as reflected by its effect on PMCA1. The rapid onset of an activated calcium pump appears to be essential to cope with the excessive intracellular calcium concentration stemming from the downregulation of calbindin which could damage neuron function and morphology.

Morphological Features of Organelles during Apoptosis: An Overview.

An apoptotic program leading to controlled cell dismantling implies perturbations of nuclear dynamics, as well as changes affecting the organelle structure and distribution. In human cancer cells driven to apoptosis by different stimuli, we have recently investigated the morphological properties of several organelles, including mitochondria, lysosomes, endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. In this review, we will discuss the body of evidence in the literature suggesting that organelles are generally relocated and/or degraded during apoptosis, irrespectively of the apoptogenic stimulus and cell type.

Mitochondrial fusion: a mechanism of cisplatin-induced resistance in neuroblastoma cells?

Cisplatin induces apoptosis through different pathways. The intrinsic apoptotic pathway is mediated by mitochondria, which, as a result of cisplatin treatment, undergo morphological alterations. The aim of this study was to investigate cisplatin-induced mitochondrial functional and morphological long-term effects in neuroblastoma B50 rat cells. To this purpose, we followed evaluated different several apoptotic markers by means of flow cytometry, confocal and electron microscopy and western blotting techniques. We applied different treatment protocols based on the incubation of the neuroblastoma B50 rat cells with 40 µM cisplatin: (i) for 48 h and harvesting of the cells at the end of the treatment; (ii) further recovery in drug-free medium for 7 days post-treatment; (iii) conditions as in (ii) followed by re-seeding in normal medium and growth for a further 4 days. We observed apoptosis induction after the first treatment and after the recovery from cell death after long-term culture in drug-free medium. Interestingly, the latter phenomenon was characterized by mitochondrial elongation and mitochondrial protein rearrangement. In recovered and re-seeded cells, mitochondrial equilibrium moved toward fusion, possibly protecting cells from apoptosis.

Cisplatin induces changes in the matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in the developing rat cerebellum.

The role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-3 and MMP-9), tissue inhibitor of MMP (TIMP-2), and GAP-43 (growth-associated-protein) in neocerebellar vermis lobules during postnatal histogenesis was studied after challenge with cisplatin (cisPt). CisPt is one of the most effective and widely used cytotoxic agents in the treatment of a variety of malignancies, in both children and adult patients. A single injection of cisPt to 10-day-old rats altered the spatiotemporal MMP/TIMP expression balance and provoked a decrease in GAP43 immunoreactivity. The imbalance appeared one day (PD11) after cisPt injection, producing disorder of cerebellum histogenesis processes in which MMPs might be involved, i.e. genesis of granule cells, Purkinje cell differentiation and synaptogenesis. Following the early injury, a simultaneous increase in MMP and TIMP expression in the ML was noticed at PD17, likely initiating recovery of Purkinje cell dendrite growth and remodelling processes. However, disturbances at the beginning of recovery phase had emerged, probably due to the down-regulation of GAP-43 after cisPt treatment. The data provide further support for the usefulness of cisPt as a tool for the study of morphological and functional changes in the CNS during postnatal development.

Developmental expression of cellular prion protein and apoptotic molecules in the rat cerebellum: effects of platinum compounds.

Programmed cell death is regulated by prototypes of a large family of Bcl-2-like proteins such as Bax and Bcl-2. A neuroprotective role for cellular prion protein (PrPc) on programmed cell death has been reported, although the cytosolic accumulation of PrPc correlates with toxicity and death of some neurons by apoptosis. In order to understand the signalling function of PrPc in promoting survival or suppressing cell death, we analyzed the expression and co-localization of PrPc, Bax and Bcl-2 proteins in the developing cerebellum of rats treated at PD10 (postnatal day 10) with the chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin (cisPt) or the new platinum (Pt) compound [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] (PtAcacDMS). Differences in the expression of PrPc, Bax and Bcl-2 were found in proliferating cells and immature Purkinje neurons. One day after administration (PD11), cisPt markedly increased the apoptosis of the proliferating cells of the EGL (external granular layer); at the same time, several apoptotic bodies with strong Bax immunoreactivity were noticed. After PtAcacDMS, changes in PrPc and apoptotic proteins, with respect to the controls, were found but Bax immunopositive apoptotic bodies were not detectable, which could mean that apoptotic cell death of proliferating cells is preserved. Co-localization was clearly detected in the Purkinje cell population and may explain better the mechanisms by which PrPc and the apoptotic proteins function, and particularly the role of PrPc. Considering the reactivity of Purkinje neurons to these proteins at PD11 and Pd17, at least PrPc expression increased after cisPt and PtAcacDMS treatments or, if PrPc decreased, balanced itself with Bcl-2. The noteworthiness of this finding is that it emphasizes that most of the post-mitotic Purkinje cells need to be rescued, otherwise they undergo degeneration and are not replaced. Based on the effects of both Pt compounds on Purkinje cell differentiation, it should be emphasized that PrPc, together with the synergistic action of the co-localized anti-apoptotic protein, acts as a neuroprotective protein countering cytotoxicity in the postnatal critical phases of cerebellum development.

Effects of Cisplatin in neuroblastoma rat cells: damage to cellular organelles.

Cisplatin (cisPt) is a chemotherapy agent used as a treatment for several types of cancer. The main cytotoxic effect of cisplatin is generally accepted to be DNA damage. Recently, the mechanism by which cisPt generates the cascade of events involved in the apoptotic process has been demonstrated. In particular it has been shown that some organelles are cisPt target and are involved in cell death. This paper aims to describe the morphological and functional changes of the Golgi apparatus and lysosomes during apoptosis induced in neuronal rat cells (B50) by cisplatin. The results obtained show that the cellular organelles are the target of cisPt, so their damage can induce cell death.

The developmental neurotoxicity study of platinum compounds. Effects of cisplatin versus a novel Pt(II) complex on rat cerebellum.

In the field of experimental oncology, many efforts are being carried out to search new platinum-based drugs overcoming the CNS toxicity and drug resistance. One of the adopted strategies is the synthesis of platinum compounds able to form Pt-DNA adducts different from the cisplatin ones or to react with other subcellular targets. In this context a novel Pt(II) complex, [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)](PtAcacDMS), was synthesized which reacts preferentially with protein thiols or thioethers. In this work we investigated the in vivo effects of cisplatin and PtAcacDMS on normal development. Moreover, to verify the dose-dependence of the effects, different groups of animals were treated with 5 µg/g or 10 µg/g body weight of cisPt and PtAcacDMS. We have focused our attention on the cerebellum because it provides a useful model system to evaluate the outcomes of perinatal treatment with chemotherapeutic agents on key CNS developmental processes such as neural cells proliferation, migration and differentiation. We have demonstrated the ability of both cisPt and PtAcacDMS to reach the brain tissue once injected. The brain platinum content after PtAcacDMS treatment was notably higher (approximately 4-fold as much) than after cisPt. The platinum accumulation in the brain was still considerable 7 days after PtAcacDMS administration. However, compared with cisplatin, PtAcacDMS induces less severe changes on fundamental events of neuroarchitecture development, such as no high apoptotic events, less altered granule cell migration and Purkinje cell dendrite growth, suggesting a low neurotoxicity of this new Pt complex for normal CNS. The mild damages could be attributable to the different subcellular target of this compound as well as to a greater efficiency of the cell repair system to recognize the drug-target adducts and to repair them. Together with the previously demonstrated antineoplastic effectiveness in vitro, the findings here reported suggest PtAcacDMS as a potential alternative to cisplatin indicating, at the same time, that the choice of platinum compounds with new subcellular targets could be a strategy to prevent neurotoxicity induced by cisplatin and overcome drug resistance induced by mutations in the intrinsic apoptotic pathway.

Postnatal development of the central nervous system: anomalies in the formation of cerebellum fissures.

A natural defect in rat cerebellum postnatal development has been found in the fissura prima, consisting in various complex configurations of the cerebellar layers. We investigated the genesis of fissure malformations through immunoreactions for PCNA, GFAP, GABAA alpha6, and calbindin to label proliferating cells of the external granular layer (egl), radial glial fibers, mature granule cells, and Purkinje cells, respectively. Results on critical stages of rat postnatal development provided interesting evidences on how the malformation develops in fissures prima and secunda. Early (postnatal day 10) at the site of malformation, the Bergmann radial glia was often retracted and showed distortions and irregular running. The interruption of GFAP-positive radial glial fibers could fit in with the presence of clusters of PCNA-unlabeled cells in the sites of fusion of the egl; the clusters of cells are granule cells since their soma is labeled by GABAA alpha6. Moreover, an altered migration of granule cell precursors to the internal granular layer was evident which, in turn, affected Purkinje cell differentiation and the growth of their dendrites. In summary, the changed relationship among glial fiber morphology, granule cell migration, and Purkinje cell differentiation suggests how the Bergmann glial fibers have a basic role in the foliation process, being the driving physical force in directing migration of the granule cells at the base of fissure.

Cell proliferation and death in the brain of active and hibernating frogs.

'Binomial' cell proliferation and cell death have been studied in only a few non-mammalian vertebrates, such as fish. We thought it of interest to map cell proliferation/apoptosis in the brain of the frog (Rana esculenta L.) as this animal species undergoes, during the annual cycle, physiological events that could be associated with central nervous system damage. Therefore, we compared the active period and the deep underground hibernation of the frog. Using western blot analysis for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), we revealed a positive 36 kDa band in all samples and found higher optical density values in the hibernating frogs than in active frogs. In both active and hibernating frogs, we found regional differences in PCNA-immunoreactive cells and terminal transferase dUTP nick-end labelling apoptotic cells in the ventricular zones and parenchyma areas of the main encephalon subdivisions. During the active period of the frogs, the highest concentration of PCNA-immunoreactive cells was found in the ventricle dorsal zone of the cerebral hemispheres but only some of the cells were apoptotic. By contrast, the tectal and cerebellar ventricular zones had a small or medium amount of PCNA-immunoreactive cells, respectively, and a higher number of apoptotic cells. During hibernation, an increased PCNA-immunoreactive cell number was observed in both the brain ventricles and parenchyma compared with active frogs. This increase was primarily evident in the lateral ventricles, a region known to be a proliferation 'hot spot'. Although differences existed among the brain areas, a general increase of apoptotic cell death was found in hibernating frogs, with the highest number of apoptotic cells being detected in the parenchyma of the cerebral hemispheres and optic tectum. In particular, the increased number of apoptotic cells in the hibernating frogs compared with active frogs in the parenchyma of these brain areas occurred when cell proliferation was higher in the corresponding ventricular zones. We suggest that the high number of dying cells found in the parenchymal regions of hibernating frogs might provide the stimulus for the ventricular zones to proliferate. Hibernating frogs could utilize an increased cell proliferation in the brain areas as a neuroprotective strategy to face cell death and the onset of neurological damages. Therefore, the hibernator promises to be a valuable model for studying the mechanisms naturally carried out by the central nervous system in order to adapt itself or survive adverse conditions.

Cerebellum cholinergic muscarinic receptor (subtype-2 and -3) and cytoarchitecture after developmental exposure to methylmercury: an immunohistochemical study in rat.

The developing central nervous system (CNS) is a target of the environmental toxicant methylmercury (MeHg), and the cerebellum seems the most susceptible tissue in response to this neurotoxicant. The cholinergic system is essential for brain development, acting as a modulator of neuronal proliferation, migration and differentiation processes; its muscarinic receptors (MRs) play pivotal roles in regulating important basic physiologic functions. By immunohistochemistry, we investigated the effects of perinatal (GD7-PD21) MeHg (0.5 mg/kg bw/day in drinking water) administration on cerebellum of mature (PD36) and immature (PD21) rats, evaluating the: (i) M2- and M3-MR expression; (ii) presence of gliosis; (iii) cytoarchitecture alterations. Regarding to M2-MRs, we showed that: at PD21, MeHg-treated animals did not display any differences compared to controls, while, at PD36 there was a significant increase of M2-immunopositive Bergmann cells in the molecular layer (ML), suggesting a MeHg-related cytotoxic effect. Similarly to M2-MRs, at PD21 the M3-MRs were not affected by MeHg, while, at PD36 a lacking immunoreactivity of the granular layer (IGL) was observed after MeHg treatment. In MeHg-treated rats, at both developmental points, we showed reactive gliosis, e.g. a significant increase in Bergmann glia of the ML and astrocytes of the IGL, identified by their expression of glial fibrillar acidic protein. No MeHg-related effects on Purkinje cells were detected neither at weaning nor at puberty. These findings suggest: (i) a delayed MeHg exposure-related effect on M2- and M3-MRs, (ii) an overt MeHg-related cytotoxic effect on cerebellar oligodendroglia, e.g. reactive gliosis, (iii) a selective vulnerability of granule cells and Purkinje neurons to MeHg, with the latter that remain unharmed.

Perinatal co-exposure to methylmercury and PCB153 or PCB126 in rats alters the cerebral cholinergic muscarinic receptors at weaning and puberty.

In the last few decades, combined exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from fish and seafood, and their potentially interactive effects on neurodevelopment, have been giving increasing cause for concern. We examined the combined effects of MeHg and either a non-dioxin PCB (PCB153) or a dioxin-like PCB (PCB126) congener on the developing brain cholinergic muscarinic receptors (MRs). These receptors are known to play a major role in many central functions including higher cognitive processes and the modulation of extrapyramidal motor activity. MRs in pup rat brains diminished following prenatal and lactational exposure, from gestational day [GD]7 to postnatal day [PND]21, to MeHg (0.5mg/kgbodyweight[bw]/day), PCB153 (5mg/kgbw/day), and PCB126 (100ng/kg/day), alone or in combination. Total MR density, as well as M1, M2, and M3 receptor subtypes of the weanling and pubertal rats, were affected in a brain-area-, gender-, time- and compound-dependent fashion. MeHg decreased (by 15-20%) the total MR density in a delayed (PND36) manner in the cerebral cortex of both genders, and early (at weaning) in the cerebellum of both genders, with the effect lasting until puberty (in males only). MeHg decreased the ACh M1- and M3-immunopositive neurons in the cerebral cortex and also increased the M2-immunopositive Bergmann glia in the cerebellum. PCB153 also induced a delayed (PND36) decrease (of 20%) in total MR number in the cerebellum of the male offspring and in the cerebral cortex of both genders. The latter effect was coupled with a decrease in ACh M1- and ACh M3-immunopositive neuron populations. PCB126 decreased (by 30-40%) total MR density in a gender-dependent manner, males being more sensitive than females. The effect was evident early (at PND21) and lasted until puberty in the cerebellum, while it was observed later (at PND36) in the cerebral cortex. The M1 and M3 receptors were similarly affected by PCB126. Co-exposure to MeHg and either PCB153 or PCB126 had the same effect on the cerebral MRs as exposure to each compound alone. The results rule out additive or synergistic interactions between MeHg and PCB153 or PCB126 on MRs in the brain areas examined. Some early-onset changes persisted until puberty, while other modifications became manifest only at the advanced time point (PND36), when the brain levels of total Hg, PCB153, and PCB126 had declined. These data support the ability of MeHg and PCBs to induce delayed neurotoxicity after developmental exposure.

Autofluorescence properties of rat cerebellum cortex during postnatal development.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The multilayered structure of rat neocerebellum cortex (VI-VIII lobules of the vermis) during postnatal development undergoes rearrangements, which in turn are affected by treatment with the anti-tumoral drug cisplatin. The dependence of autofluorescence emission properties on the tissue structural and molecular features has been investigated. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Autofluorescence analysis was performed at defined time points of cerebellar histogenesis--11, 17, and 30 postnatal days- under normal conditions or after 5 microg/g body weight cisplatin treatment at 10 postnatal day. Autofluorescence signal was analyzed in vivo at the surface of intact lobules of cerebellum vermis by means of fiber optic spectrofluorometry, or on tissue sections by means of microspectrofluorometry and fluorescence imaging. RESULTS: In vivo spectroscopy showed changes of autofluorescence signal both during normal histogenesis and after cisplatin treatment. External granular layer (EGL) and molecular layer (ML), that is, the more external layers were found to be interested by structural alterations, and showed the greatest changes in signal amplitude, accounting for the in vivo results. Fitting analysis indicated that changes in spectral shape reflected an increase in oxidative damages induced by cisplatin treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm the relationship of the autofluorescence emission properties with histological and biochemical features of biological tissue.