Trifluoperazine Synergistically Potentiates Bortezomib-Induced Anti-Cancer Effect in Multiple Myeloma via Inhibiting P38 MAPK/NUPR1.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a common hematological malignancy. Bortezomib (BTZ) is a traditional medicine for MM treatment, but there are limitations for current treatment methods. Trifluoperazine (TFP) is a clinical drug for acute and chronic psychosis therapy. Lately, researchers have found that TFP can suppress tumor growth in many cancers. We attempted to study the effects of BTZ and TFP on MM in vivo and in vitro. We concentrated on the individual and combined impact of BTZ and TFP on the proliferation and apoptosis of MM cells via Cell Counting kit-8 assay, EdU assay, western blot, and flow cytometry. We found that combination therapy has a strong synergistic impact on MM cells. Combination therapy could induce cell arrest during G2/M phase and induce apoptosis in MM cells. Meanwhile, BTZ combined with TFP could play a better role in the anti-MM effect in vivo through MM.1s xenograft tumor models. Furthermore, we explored the mechanism of TFP-induced apoptosis in MM, and we noticed that TFP might induce MM apoptosis by inhibiting p-P38 MAPK/NUPR1. In summary, our findings suggest that TFP could synergistically enhance the BTZ-induced anti-cancer effect in multiple myeloma, which might be a promising therapeutic strategy for MM treatment.

Preclinical Investigation of Trifluoperazine as a Novel Therapeutic Agent for the Treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

Trifluoperazine (TFP), an antipsychotic drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration, has been show to exhibit anti-cancer effects. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating disease characterized by a progressive obliteration of small pulmonary arteries (PAs) due to exaggerated proliferation and resistance to apoptosis of PA smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). However, the therapeutic potential of TFP for correcting the cancer-like phenotype of PAH-PASMCs and improving PAH in animal models remains unknown. PASMCs isolated from PAH patients were exposed to different concentrations of TFP before assessments of cell proliferation and apoptosis. The in vivo therapeutic potential of TFP was tested in two preclinical models with established PAH, namely the monocrotaline and sugen/hypoxia-induced rat models. Assessments of hemodynamics by right heart catheterization and histopathology were conducted. TFP showed strong anti-survival and anti-proliferative effects on cultured PAH-PASMCs. Exposure to TFP was associated with downregulation of AKT activity and nuclear translocation of forkhead box protein O3 (FOXO3). In both preclinical models, TFP significantly lowered the right ventricular systolic pressure and total pulmonary resistance and improved cardiac function. Consistently, TFP reduced the medial wall thickness of distal PAs. Overall, our data indicate that TFP could have beneficial effects in PAH and support the view that seeking new uses for old drugs may represent a fruitful approach.

Comparison of chloroquine-like molecules for lysosomal inhibition and measurement of autophagic flux in the brain.

Measurement of autophagic flux in vivo is critical to understand how autophagy can be used to combat disease. Neurodegenerative diseases have a special relationship with autophagy, which makes measurement of autophagy in the brain a significant research priority. Currently, measurement of autophagic flux is possible through use of transgenic constructs, or application of a lysosomal inhibitor such as chloroquine. Unfortunately, chloroquine is not useful for measuring autophagic flux in the brain and the use of transgenic animals necessitates cross-breeding of transgenic strains and maintenance of lines, which is costly. To find a drug that could block lysosomal function in the brain for the measurement of autophagic flux, we selected compounds from the literature that appeared to have similar properties to chloroquine and tested their ability to inhibit autophagic flux in cell culture and in mice. These chemicals included chloroquine, quinacrine, mefloquine, promazine and trifluoperazine. As expected, chloroquine blocked lysosomal degradation of the autophagic protein LC3B-II in cell culture. Quinacrine also inhibited autophagic flux in cell culture. Other compounds tested were not effective. When injected into mice, chloroquine caused accumulation of LC3B-II in heart tissue, and quinacrine was effective at blocking LC3B-II degradation in male, but not female skeletal muscle. None of the compounds tested were useful for measuring autophagic flux in the brain. During this study we also noted that the vehicle DMSO powerfully up-regulated LC3B-II abundance in tissues. This study shows that chloroquine and quinacrine can both be used to measure autophagic flux in cells, and in some peripheral tissues. However, measurement of flux in the brain using lysosomal inhibitors remains an unresolved research challenge.

Repositioning of the antipsychotic trifluoperazine: Synthesis, biological evaluation and in silico study of trifluoperazine analogs as anti-glioblastoma agents.

Repositioning of the antipsychotic drug trifluoperazine for treatment of glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor, has been previously suggested. However, trifluoperazine did not increase the survival time in mice models of glioblastoma. In attempt to identify an effective trifluoperazine analog, fourteen compounds have been synthesized and biologically in vitro and in vivo assessed. Using MTT assay, compounds 3dc and 3dd elicited 4-5 times more potent inhibitory activity than trifluoperazine with IC50 = 2.3 and 2.2 µM against U87MG glioblastoma cells, as well as, IC50 = 2.2 and 2.1 µM against GBL28 human glioblastoma patient derived primary cells, respectively. Furthermore, they have shown a reasonable selectivity for glioblastoma cells over NSC normal neural cell. In vivo evaluation of analog 3dc confirmed its advantageous effect on reduction of tumor size and increasing the survival time in brain xenograft mouse model of glioblastoma. Molecular modeling simulation provided a reasonable explanation for the observed variation in the capability of the synthesized analogs to increase the intracellular Ca2+ levels. In summary, this study presents compound 3dc as a proposed new tool for the adjuvant chemotherapy of glioblastoma.

Reprint of: A chemical screen identifies trifluoperazine as an inhibitor of glioblastoma growth.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is regarded as the most common malignant brain tumor but treatment options are limited. Thus, there is an unmet clinical need for compounds and corresponding targets that could inhibit GBM growth. We screened a library of 80 dopaminergic ligands with the aim of identifying compounds capable of inhibiting GBM cell line proliferation and survival. Out of 45 active compounds, 8 were further validated. We found that the dopamine receptor D2 antagonist trifluoperazine 2HCl inhibits growth and proliferation of GBM cells in a dose dependent manner. Trifluoperazine's inhibition of GBM cells is cell line dependent and correlates with variations in dopamine receptor expression profile. We conclude that components of the dopamine receptor signaling pathways are potential targets for pharmacological interventions of GBM growth.

Inhibitory Effect of Hesperetin and Naringenin on Human UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase Enzymes: Implications for Herb-Drug Interactions.

Hesperetin (HET) and naringenin (NGR) are flavanones found in citrus (oranges and grapefruit) and Aurantii Fructus Immaturus. The present study aims to investigate the inhibition potential of HET and NGR derivatives towards one of the most important phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes-uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs). We used trifluoperazine as a probe substrate to test UGT1A4 activity, and recombinant UGT-catalyzed 4-methylumbelliferone glucuronidation was used as a probe reaction for other UGT isoforms. Data show that HET and NGR displayed broad-spectrum inhibition against human UGTs. Besides, HET exhibited strong inhibitory effects on UGT1A1, 1A3 and 1A9 (both IC50 and Ki values lower than 10 µM), and the inhibitory effects of NGR against three major UGTs, including UGT1A1, 1A3 and 2B7. In a combination of inhibition parameters (Ki) and in vivo concentration of HET and NGR, the potential in vivo inhibition magnitude was predicted. Based on the reported maximum plasma concentration of HET and NGR in vivo, these findings indicate the potential herb-drug interactions (HDI) between HET or NGR and the drugs mainly undergoing UGT1A3 or UGT2B7 catalyzed metabolic elimination. Considering the variety of citrus that contains HET and NGR, so caution should be applied when taking drugs that utilize UGTs for metabolism and clearance with citrus fruits.

Calmodulin inhibition regulates morphological and functional changes related to the actin cytoskeleton in pure microglial cells.

The roles of calmodulin (CaM), a multifunctional intracellular calcium receptor protein, as concerns selected morphological and functional characteristics of pure microglial cells derived from mixed primary cultures from embryonal forebrains of rats, were investigated through use of the CaM antagonists calmidazolium (CALMID) and trifluoperazine (TFP). The intracellular localization of the CaM protein relative to phalloidin, a bicyclic heptapeptide that binds only to filamentous actin, and the ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1), a microglia-specific actin-binding protein, was determined by immunocytochemistry, with quantitative analysis by immunoblotting. In unchallenged and untreated (control) microglia, high concentrations of CaM protein were found mainly perinuclearly in ameboid microglia, while the cell cortex had a smaller CaM content that diminished progressively deeper into the branches in the ramified microglia. The amounts and intracellular distributions of both Iba1 and CaM proteins were altered after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge in activated microglia. CALMID and TFP exerted different, sometimes opposing, effects on many morphological, cytoskeletal and functional characteristics of the microglial cells. They affected the CaM and Iba1 protein expressions and their intracellular localizations differently, inhibited cell proliferation, viability and fluid-phase phagocytosis to different degrees both in unchallenged and in LPS-treated (immunologically challenged) cells, and differentially affected the reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton in the microglial cell cortex, influencing lamellipodia, filopodia and podosome formation. In summary, these CaM antagonists altered different aspects of filamentous actin-based cell morphology and related functions with variable efficacy, which could be important in deciphering the roles of CaM in regulating microglial functions in health and disease.

Potential antitumor mechanisms of phenothiazine drugs.

In this study, three kinds of phenothiazine drugs were analyzed to explore their potential antitumor mechanisms. First, target proteins that could interact with chlorpromazine, fluphenazine and trifluoperazine were predicted. Then, the target proteins of the three drugs were intersected. Cell signaling pathway enrichment and related disease enrichment were conducted for the intersected proteins to extract the enrichment categories associated with tumors. By regulation network analysis of the protein interactions, the mechanisms of action of these target proteins in tumor tissue were clarified, thus confirming the potential antitumor mechanisms of the phenothiazine drugs. The final results of cell signaling pathway enrichment and related disease enrichment showed that the categories with the highest score were all found in tumors. Target proteins belonging to the tumor category included signaling pathway members such as Wnt, MAPK and retinoic acid receptor. Moreover, another target protein, MAPK8, could indirectly act on target proteins CDK2, IGF1R, GSK3B, RARA, FGFR2 and MAPK10, thereby affecting tumor cell division and proliferation. Therefore, phenothiazine drugs may have potential antitumor effects, and tumor-associated target proteins play important roles in the process of cell signaling transduction cascades.

Salvia miltiorrhiza causes tonic contraction in rat ileum through Ca²âº-calmodulin pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Danshen, root of Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM), has been traditionally used in Chinese medicine for the treatment of heart, abdomen, gurgling in the intestines, and relieving fullness. However, the effects of SM on intestine have rarely been done to date. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the contraction effect of SM on isolated rat ileum and its mechanisms involved. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The isometric contractions of ileum segments were investigated in organ baths for spontaneous activity and response to ethanolic extracts of SM. To determine the contraction mechanism caused by SM extracts, atropine (a muscarinic receptor antagonist), tetrodotoxin (TTX, a sodium channel blocker), nifedipine (a calcium channel blocker), Ca(2+) free Krebs solution with EGTA, or trifluoperazine (TFP, a calmodulin blocker) was administered and its response to cumulative dosages of SM extracts were examined. The effect of SM extracts on Ca(2+) signaling in the intestinal epithelial cell-6 (IEC-6) was examined using fura-2 as a Ca(2+) indicator. RESULTS: SM extracts caused dose-dependent tonic contraction on rat ileum in ex vivo organ bath studies. The contraction induced by SM extracts was not inhibited by atropine, TTX, nifedipine, or in Ca(2+) free solution. However, the ileal contractions induced by SM extracts were significantly inhibited by TFP in a dose-dependent manner. In IEC-6 cells, the SM extracts induced extracellular Ca(2+) entry and massive intracellular Ca(2+) release in Ca(2+)-contained medium, and induced intracellular Ca(2+) release in Ca(2+)-free medium. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that SM extracts cause ileal contraction through the Ca(2+)-calmodulin pathway.

Interrelationship between calmodulin (CaM) and H2O2 in abscisic acid-induced antioxidant defense in the seedlings of Panax ginseng.

Calmodulin (CaM), the predominant Ca(2+) receptors, is one of the best-characterized Ca(2+) sensors in all eukaryotes. In this study the role of CaM and the possible interrelationship between CaM and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) in abscisic acid (ABA) induced antioxidant defense were investigated in the seedling of Panax ginseng. Treatment of ABA (100 µM) and H(2)O(2) (10 mM) increased the expression of Panax ginseng calmodulin gene (PgCaM) and significantly enhanced the expression of the antioxidant marker genes such as superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase and the activities of chloroplastic and cytosolic antioxidant enzymes. Pretreatments with two CaM antagonists, trifluoperazine (TFP), N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalene sulfonamide hydrochloride (W7) and inhibitor or scavenger, diphenyleneiodonium chloride, and dimethylthiourea of reactive oxygen species almost completely suppressed the up-regulation of antioxidant and PgCaM gene. Moreover, H(2)O(2) production and CaM content was almost completely inhibited by pretreatments with two CaM antagonists. In addition, the expressions of PgCaM gene under different biotic stress were analyzed at different time intervals. Thus it may suggests that CaM are involved in ABA-induced increased expression of PgCaM which triggers H(2)O(2) production through activating trans-plasma membrane NADPH oxidase, resulting in up-regulation of defense related antioxidant gene and also plays a pivotal role in defense response against pathogens.

Gene expression-based chemical genomics identifies potential therapeutic drugs in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis. Currently, only sorafenib is approved by the FDA for advanced HCC treatment; therefore, there is an urgent need to discover candidate therapeutic drugs for HCC. We hypothesized that if a drug signature could reverse, at least in part, the gene expression signature of HCC, it might have the potential to inhibit HCC-related pathways and thereby treat HCC. To test this hypothesis, we first built an integrative platform, the "Encyclopedia of Hepatocellular Carcinoma genes Online 2", dubbed EHCO2, to systematically collect, organize and compare the publicly available data from HCC studies. The resulting collection includes a total of 4,020 genes. To systematically query the Connectivity Map (CMap), which includes 6,100 drug-mediated expression profiles, we further designed various gene signature selection and enrichment methods, including a randomization technique, majority vote, and clique analysis. Subsequently, 28 out of 50 prioritized drugs, including tanespimycin, trichostatin A, thioguanosine, and several anti-psychotic drugs with anti-tumor activities, were validated via MTT cell viability assays and clonogenic assays in HCC cell lines. To accelerate their future clinical use, possibly through drug-repurposing, we selected two well-established drugs to test in mice, chlorpromazine and trifluoperazine. Both drugs inhibited orthotopic liver tumor growth. In conclusion, we successfully discovered and validated existing drugs for potential HCC therapeutic use with the pipeline of Connectivity Map analysis and lab verification, thereby suggesting the usefulness of this procedure to accelerate drug repurposing for HCC treatment.

Signaling events leading to red-light-induced suppression of photomorphogenesis in wheat (Triticum aestivum).

Perception of red light (400 µmol photon m²/s) by the shoot bottom turned off the greening process in wheat. To understand the signaling cascade leading to this photomorphogenic response, certain signaling components were probed in seedlings grown in different light regimes. Upon analysis the gene expression of heterotrimeric Gα and Gß were severely down-regulated in seedlings grown without vermiculite and having their shoot bottom exposed to red light (R/V-) and was similar to that of dark-grown seedlings. Supplementing the red-light-grown V- seedlings with blue light resulted in up-regulation of both Gα and Gß expression, suggesting that blue light is able to modulate G protein expression. Treatment of cytokinin analog benzyladenine to cytokinin-deficient red-light-grown R/V- seedlings resulted in up-regulation of gene expression of both Gα and Gß. To probe further, modulators of signal transduction pathway--AlF3 (G protein activator), LaCl3 (Ca(2+) channel blocker), NaF (nonspecific phosphatase inhibitor), or calmodulin (CaM) antagonists trifluoperazine (TFP) and N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-nafthalene-sulfonamide (W-7)--were added along with Hoagland solution to the roots of 4-day-old etiolated seedlings, grown on germination paper and transferred to red light. AlF3, LaCl3, NaF failed to elicit any photomorphogenic response. However, CaM antagonists TFP and W-7 significantly reversed the red-light-induced suppression of photomorphogenesis. Phosphorylation of proteins assayed in the absence or presence of CaM antagonist TFP revealed respective up-regulation or down-regulation of phosphorylation of several plastidic proteins in R/V- seedlings. These suggest that signal transduction of red light perceived by the shoot bottom to suppress photomorphogenesis is mediated by CaM-dependent protein kinases.

Combined proteomic and cytological analysis of Ca2+-calmodulin regulation in Picea meyeri pollen tube growth.

Ca2+-calmodulin (Ca2+-CaM) is a critical molecule that mediates cellular functions by interacting with various metabolic and signaling pathways. However, the protein expression patterns and accompanying serial cytological responses in Ca2+-CaM signaling deficiency remain enigmatic. Here, we provide a global analysis of the cytological responses and significant alterations in protein expression profiles after trifluoperazine treatment in Picea meyeri, which abrogates Ca2+-CaM signaling. Ninety-three differentially displayed proteins were identified by comparative proteomics at different development stages and were assigned to different functional categories closely related to tip growth machinery. The inhibition of Ca2+-CaM signaling rapidly induced an increase in extracellular Ca2+ influx, resulting in dramatically increased cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations and ultrastructural abnormalities in organelles as the primary responses. Secondary and tertiary alterations included actin filament depolymerization, disrupted patterns of endocytosis and exocytosis, and cell wall remodeling, ultimately resulting in perturbed pollen tube extension. In parallel with these cytological events, time-course experiments revealed that most differentially expressed proteins showed time-dependent quantitative changes (i.e. some signaling proteins and proteins involved in organelle functions and energy production changed first, followed by alterations in proteins related to cytoskeletal organization, secretory pathways, and polysaccharide synthesis). Taken together, Ca2+-CaM dysfunction induced serial cytological responses and temporal changes in protein expression profiles, indicating the pivotal role of Ca2+-CaM in the regulation of tip growth machinery.

Small molecule regulators of autophagy identified by an image-based high-throughput screen.

Autophagy is a lysosome-dependent cellular catabolic mechanism mediating the turnover of intracellular organelles and long-lived proteins. Reduction of autophagy activity has been shown to lead to the accumulation of misfolded proteins in neurons and may be involved in chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease and Alzheimer's disease. To explore the mechanism of autophagy and identify small molecules that can activate it, we developed a series of high-throughput image-based screens for small-molecule regulators of autophagy. This series of screens allowed us to distinguish compounds that can truly induce autophagic degradation from those that induce the accumulation of autophagosomes as a result of causing cellular damage or blocking downstream lysosomal functions. Our analyses led to the identification of eight compounds that can induce autophagy and promote long-lived protein degradation. Interestingly, seven of eight compounds are FDA-approved drugs for treatment of human diseases. Furthermore, we show that these compounds can reduce the levels of expanded polyglutamine repeats in cultured cells. Our studies suggest the possibility that some of these drugs may be useful for the treatment of Huntington's and other human diseases associated with the accumulation of misfolded proteins.

Potential management of resistant microbial infections with a novel non-antibiotic: the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac sodium.

Diclofenac sodium (Dc), an anti-inflammatory agent, has remarkable inhibitory action both against drug-sensitive and drug-resistant clinical isolates of various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of Dc to protect mice from a virulent Salmonella infection. Dc injected at 1.5 microg/g and 3.0 microg/g mouse body weight significantly protected animals from the lethality of Salmonella infection. As was the case for the in vitro interaction, Dc in combination with streptomycin was even more effective. The non-antibiotic drug Dc has potential for the management of problematic antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.

Impact of Ca2+ flux inhibitors on acrosome reaction of hamster spermatozoa.

Ca(2+) plays a prominent role in the regulation of critical functions of spermatozoa, such as capacitation, acrosome reaction (AR), and fertilization. While there is consensus that Ca(2+) is essential, researchers have reported conflicting results as to what happens to Ca(2+) flux across the sperm membrane during capacitation and AR. The purpose of the present study was to further delineate the function of Ca(2+) channels and their role in sperm capacitation and AR. Epididymides were obtained from healthy adult male hamsters. Spermatozoa were washed with modified Tyrode medium supplemented with 0.3% bovine serum albumin, adjusted to 4.5 x 10(7) motile sperm/mL and incubated in 200-microL droplets for 4 hours at 37 degrees C in the presence of trifluoperazine (TFP), a calmodulin inhibitor, at 25, 50, 100, or 150 nM; verapamil (VP), a Ca(2+) channel inhibitor, at 25, 50, 100, or 150 nM; or nifedipine (NF), a voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channel inhibitor, at 50, 100, 200, or 400 nM. Spermatozoa were assessed for AR by using Coomassie brilliant blue staining techniques. Results indicated that incubation of sperm with Ca(2+) channel inhibitors for 4 hours significantly reduced AR in the study groups (TFP: 88% +/- 2.3%, 65% +/- 2.0%, 60% +/- 2.2%, 54 % +/- 2.2%, respectively; VP: 45% +/- 1.3%, 23 % +/- 1.2%, 12% +/- 1.0%, 8% +/- 0.6%, respectively; and NF: 11% +/- 0.8%, 9% +/- 0.3%, 7.0% +/- 0.1%, 6.0% +/- 0.1%, respectively) compared with control group (95% +/- 3.0%, P < .05). However, increasing the concentrations of TFP and NF did not result in further suppression of AR. In summary, the antagonists of calmodulin and Ca(2+) channel inhibitors suppress sperm AR.

Characterization of protein tyrosine phosphatase activity in rat liver microsomes: suppressive effect of endogenous regucalcin in transgenic rats.

The role of regucalcin, a regulatory protein in intracellular signaling system, in the regulation of protein phosphatase activity in rat liver microsomes was investigated. Protein phosphatase activity torward phosphotyrosine, phosphoserine, and phosphothreonine was assayed in a reaction mixture containing the microsomal protein. Protein phosphatase activity toward phosphotyrosine was strong as compared with that of the enzyme activity toward phosphoserine and phosphothreonine, indicating the existence of protein tyrosine phosphatase. Protein phosphatase activity toward three phosphoaminoacids was significantly enhanced by the addition of both calcium chloride (10 micro M) and calmodulin (2.5 or 5 micro g/ml) in the reaction mixture. The presence of ethylene glycol bis (2-amino-ethylether) N, N, N', N'-tetracetic acid (EGTA; 0.1, 1 or 2 mM) or trifluoperazine (TFP; 10, 20 or 50 micro M), an antagonist of calmodulin, did not have a significant effect on protein phosphatase activity toward phosphotyrosine without calcium addition. Microsomal protein tyrosine phosphatase activity was not changed by okadaic acid (10(-6)-10(-4) M). The enzyme activity was significantly decreased by vanadate (10, 50 or 100 micro M). The addition of regucalcin (0.25 or 0.5 micro M) in the reaction mixture caused a significant inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase activity in liver microsomes. Western blot analysis showed a remarkable increase in regucalcin protein level in the liver microsomes of regucalcin transgenic (TG) rats. Protein tyrosine phosphatase activity was significantly suppressed in the liver microsomes of TG rats. This study demonstrates that protein tyrosine phosphatase activity is found in the liver microsomes, and that the enzyme activity is suppressed by regucalcin.

Delírium y esquizofrenia: presentación de un caso clínico / Delirium and schizophrenia: a case report

No disponible

3-[2-[4-(3-chloro-2-methylphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-5,6-dimethoxy-1-(4-imidazolylmethyl)-1H-indazole dihydrochloride 3.5 hydrate (DY-9760e), a novel calmodulin antagonist, reduces brain edema through the inhibition of enhanced blood-brain barrier permeability after transient focal ischemia.

An alteration of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability contributes to the development of brain edema after stroke. In this study, we evaluated the effects of 3-[2-[4-(3-chloro-2-methylphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-5,6-dimethoxy-1-(4-imidazolylmethyl)-1H-indazole dihydrochloride 3.5 hydrate (DY-9760e), a novel calmodulin antagonist, on brain edema formation and BBB integrity in rats subjected to transient focal ischemia. DY-9760e (1 mg/kg/h) was intravenously infused for 6 h, starting immediately after reperfusion of a 1-h middle cerebral artery occlusion. Treatment with DY-9760e significantly suppressed the increase in water content and the extravasation of Evans blue dye after transient focal ischemia. Analysis of a magnetic resonance imaging method revealed that DY-9760e significantly prevented the development of brain edema in the cortical region of the ipsilateral hemisphere. Trifluoperazine, a calmodulin antagonist that is structurally different from DY-9760e, also attenuated brain edema elicited by transient focal ischemia. Furthermore, DY-9760e and trifluoperazine reduced tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced hyperpermeability of inulin through a cultured brain microvascular endothelial cell monolayer, suggesting an involvement of calmodulin in the regulation of brain microvascular barrier function. The present results demonstrate that DY-9760e ameliorates brain edema formation and suggest that this effect may be mediated in part by the inhibition of enhanced BBB permeability after ischemic insults. Thus, DY-9760e is expected to be a therapeutic drug for treatment of acute stroke patients.

Calcium-induced mitochondrial swelling and cytochrome c release in the brain: its biochemical characteristics and implication in ischemic neuronal injury.

The objective of the present study was to determine the biochemical characteristics of Ca(2+)-induced mitochondrial swelling (mitochondrial permeability transition; mPT) and cytochrome c release in the brain, and to clarify its role in neuronal injury following transient forebrain ischemia. Mitochondria were isolated from rat brain and liver. Changes in mitochondrial volume were measured via light absorbance at 540 nm. Using Western blot analysis, we examined the in vitro release of mitochondrial cytochrome c under these conditions. Transient forebrain ischemia was induced by 5 min occlusion of the common carotid arteries in the gerbil. Cyclosporin A (CsA), a specific mPT blocker, and/or trifluoperazine, a blocker of phospholipase A(2), were given before and 24 h after ischemia. The number of surviving neurons in the hippocampal CA1 sector was counted 7 days after ischemia. Calcium induced a moderate decrease of light absorbance in brain mitochondria, which was inhibited by CsA. However, calcium induced a much larger decrease of light absorbance in liver mitochondria. Calcium induced a moderate release of cytochrome c from brain mitochondria, which was not inhibited by CsA. However, calcium induced the release of a larger amount of cytochrome c from liver mitochondria. Selective neuronal injury due to transient forebrain ischemia was significantly ameliorated by treatment with high-dose CsA. The biochemical properties of Ca(2+)-induced mitochondrial swelling in the brain are different from those in the liver. Cytochrome c is released from brain mitochondria through an mPT-independent mechanism. CsA potentially ameliorates delayed neuronal injury in the hippocampus due to transient forebrain ischemia.