Potential Risk of Choline Alfoscerate on Isoflurane-Induced Toxicity in Primary Human Astrocytes

Objective@#: Isoflurane, a widely used common inhalational anesthetic agent, can induce brain toxicity. The challenge lies in protecting neurologically compromised patients from neurotoxic anesthetics. Choline alfoscerate (L-α-Glycerophosphorylcholine, α-GPC) is recognized for its neuroprotective properties against oxidative stress and inflammation, but its optimal therapeutic window and indications are still under investigation. This study explores the impact of α-GPC on human astrocytes, the most abundant cells in the brain that protect against oxidative stress, under isoflurane exposure. @*Methods@#: This study was designed to examine changes in factors related to isoflurane-induced toxicity following α-GPC administration. Primary human astrocytes were pretreated with varying doses of α-GPC (ranging from 0.1 to 10.0 μM) for 24 hours prior to 2.5% isoflurane exposure. In vitro analysis of cell morphology, water-soluble tetrazolium salt-1 assay, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, proteome profiler array, and transcriptome sequencing were conducted. @*Results@#: A significant morphological damage to human astrocytes was observed in the group that had been pretreated with 10.0 mM of α-GPC and exposed to 2.5% isoflurane. A decrease in cell viability was identified in the group pretreated with 10.0 μM of α-GPC and exposed to 2.5% isoflurane compared to the group exposed only to 2.5% isoflurane. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that mRNA expression of heme-oxygenase 1 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, which were reduced by isoflurane, was further suppressed by 10.0 μM α-GPC pretreatment. The proteome profiler array demonstrated that α-GPC pretreatment influenced a variety of factors associated with apoptosis induced by oxidative stress. Additionally, transcriptome sequencing identified pathways significantly related to changes in isoflurane-induced toxicity caused by α-GPC pretreatment. @*Conclusion@#: The findings suggest that α-GPC pretreatment could potentially enhance the vulnerability of primary human astrocytes to isoflurane-induced toxicity by diminishing the expression of antioxidant factors, potentially leading to amplified cell damage.

Rat Model of Hindlimb Ischemia Induced via Embolization with Polyvinyl Alcohol and N-Butyl Cyanoacrylate

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of a rat model on hindlimb ischemia induced by embolization from the administration of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles or N-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Unilateral hindlimb ischemia was induced by embolization with NBCA (n = 4), PVA (n = 4) or surgical excision (n = 4) in a total of 12 Sprague-Dawley rats. On days 0, 7 and 14, the time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (TOF-MRA) and enhanced MRI were obtained as scheduled by using a 3T-MR scanner. The clinical ischemic index, volume change and degree of muscle necrosis observed on the enhanced MRI in the ischemic hindlimb were being compared among three groups using the analysis of variance. Vascular patency on TOF-MRA was evaluated and correlated with angiographic findings when using an inter-rater agreement test. RESULTS: There was a technical success rate of 100% for both the embolization and surgery groups. The clinical ischemic index did not significantly differ. On day 7, the ratios of the muscular infarctions were 0.436, 0.173 and 0 at thigh levels and 0.503, 0.337 and 0 at calf levels for the NBCA, PVA and surgery groups, respectively. In addition, the embolization group presented increased volume and then decreased volume on days 7 and 14, respectively. The surgery group presented a gradual volume decrease. Good correlation was shown between the TOF-MRA and angiographic findings (kappa value of 0.795). CONCLUSION: The examined hindlimb ischemia model using embolization with NBCA and PVA particles in rats is a feasible model for further research, and muscle necrosis was evident as compared with the surgical model.

Intraocular Pressure After Cataract Extraction in Silicone tube Implanted Glaucomatous eye

The functioning filtering bleb constructed after trabeculectomy in glaucomatous patient might be fail after cataract operation probably due to transient collapse during cataract extraction and inflammatiry reaction of the filtering bleb which result in unsuccessful intraocular pressure control. To compare if the results were identical in cases with the use of encircling band to enlarge the aqueous absorbing scar tissue to trabeculectomy, intraocular pressure was followed for more than 6 months after cataract extraction and posterior chamber lens implantation in 7 eyes that previously underwent silicone tube insertion with the use of encircling band. There were no cases with increased intraocular pressure needed to control postoperatively. Therefore it could be possible to concluded that inflammatory reaction of the filtering bleb or transient collapse during cataract extraction has no negative influences on intraocular pressure in silicone tube implanted eye using encircling band.

A Comparison of the Posterior Vitreous Detachments in Normal and Diabetic Retinopathy

Among the panents who visited Ewha Womens Universty Hospital from Dec 1988 to Oct 1989, the authors investigated the presence of posterior vitreous detachment(PVD) in 181 eyes Wlth nomal fundus flnd1ngs and 160 eyes wlth diabetic retinopathy. In normal eyes, the incidence of complete PVD increased with age but that of partlal PVD was not related to age. In non prolderative diabetic retinopathy, complete PVD was 15.6% and partial PVD was 5.6%, And in proliferative diabetic retinopathy, complete PVD was 8.6% and partial PVD was 41.4%. It is suggested that there is a close relationship between proliferative diabetic retinopathy and partial PVD.