Cytoprotective effects of growth factors: BDNF more potent than GDNF in an organotypic culture model of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a preferential loss of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). Both glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) play key roles in maintaining the DAergic phenotype and exert a cytoprotective effect on these neurons in vivo and in vitro. However, controversy still exists regarding the relative potency of the two factors and the extent to which they act synergistically. In this study, we used a refined version of organotypic cultures as a model for PD. The neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was applied unilaterally in slices of rat mesencephalon, allowing for internal controls and enabling a precise comparison between the two sides of the midbrain. We evaluated the cytoprotective and regenerative effects of BDNF, GDNF and the combination of these in terms of surviving tyrosine hydroxylase positive (TH+) cells and TH mRNA expression. Pre-, co-, or post-treatment with neurotrophic factors clearly protects DAergic neurons from cell death. Cell survival is particularly pronounced in cultures pre-treated with BDNF and is not further increased when BDNF is applied in combination with GDNF in equimolar dose. On the lesion side, surviving TH+ cells exposed to neurotrophic factors showed extensive sprouting, and BDNF treatment resulted in a two-fold increase in TH mRNA. Such effects were not seen in the absence of toxin exposure. Thus, we observed that BDNF induced an upregulation of the DAergic phenotype, which suggest a cytoprotective and regenerative effect.

Expression and functional characterization of transient receptor potential vanilloid-related channel 4 (TRPV4) in rat cortical astrocytes.

Cell-cell communication in astroglial syncytia is mediated by intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) responses elicited by extracellular signaling molecules as well as by diverse physical and chemical stimuli. Despite the evidence that astrocytic swelling promotes [Ca(2+)](i) elevation through Ca(2+) influx, the molecular identity of the channel protein underlying this response is still elusive. Here we report that primary cultured cortical astrocytes express the transient receptor potential vanilloid-related channel 4 (TRPV 4), a Ca(2+)-permeable cation channel gated by a variety of stimuli, including cell swelling. Immunoblot and confocal microscopy analyses confirmed the presence of the channel protein and its localization in the plasma membrane. TRPV4 was functional because the selective TRPV4 agonist 4-alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate (4alphaPDD) activated an outwardly rectifying cation current with biophysical and pharmacological properties that overlapped those of recombinant human TRPV4 expressed in COS cells. Moreover, 4alphaPDD and hypotonic challenge promoted [Ca(2+)](i) elevation mediated by influx of extracellular Ca(2+). This effect was abolished by low micromolar concentration of the TRPV4 inhibitor Ruthenium Red. Immunofluorescence and immunogold electron microscopy of rat brain revealed that TRPV4 was enriched in astrocytic processes of the superficial layers of the neocortex and in astrocyte end feet facing pia and blood vessels. Collectively, these data indicate that cultured cortical astroglia express functional TRPV4 channels. They also demonstrate that TRPV4 is particularly abundant in astrocytic membranes at the interface between brain and extracerebral liquid spaces. Consistent with its roles in other tissues, these results support the view that TRPV4 might participate in astroglial osmosensation and thus play a key role in brain volume homeostasis.

Differential effect of alpha-syntrophin knockout on aquaporin-4 and Kir4.1 expression in retinal macroglial cells in mice.

Aquaporin-4 water channels and the inwardly rectifying potassium channels Kir4.1 are coexpressed in a highly polarized manner at the perivascular and subvitreal endfeet of retinal Müller cells and astrocytes. The present study was aimed at resolving the anchoring mechanisms responsible for the coexpression of these molecules. Both aquaporin-4 and Kir4.1 contain PDZ-domain binding motifs at their C-termini and it was recently shown that mice with targeted disruption of the dystrophin gene display altered distribution of aquaporin-4 and Kir4.1 in the retina. To test our hypothesis that alpha-syntrophin (a PDZ-domain containing protein of the dystrophin associated protein complex) is involved in aquaporin-4 and Kir4.1 anchoring in retinal cells, we studied the expression pattern of these molecules in alpha-syntrophin null mice. Judged by quantitative immunogold cytochemistry, deletion of the alpha-syntrophin gene causes a partial loss (by 70%) of aquaporin-4 labeling at astrocyte and Müller cell endfeet but no decrease in Kir4.1 labeling at these sites. These findings suggest that alpha-syntrophin is not involved in the anchoring of Kir4.1 and only partly responsible for the anchoring of aquaporin-4 in retinal endfeet membranes. Furthermore we show that wild type and alpha-syntrophin null mice exhibit strong beta1 syntrophin labeling at perivascular and subvitreal Müller cell endfeet, raising the possibility that beta1 syntrophin might be involved in the anchoring of Kir4.1 and the alpha-syntrophin independent pool of aquaporin-4.

Anchoring of aquaporin-4 in brain: molecular mechanisms and implications for the physiology and pathophysiology of water transport.

Astrocytes show an enrichment of aquaporin-4 (AQP4) in those parts of the plasma membrane that are apposed to pial or perivascular basal laminae. This observation begged the following questions: 1, What are the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for the site specific anchoring of AQP4? 2, What are the physiological and pathophysiological roles of the AQP4 pools at these specialized membrane domains? Recent studies suggest that the site specific anchoring depends on the dystrophin complex. Further, alpha-syntrophin (a member of the dystrophin complex) is required to maintain a polarized expression of AQP4 in the perivascular membranes. Hence transgenic mice deficient in alpha-syntrophin provided a model where the perivascular pool of AQP4 could be removed for assessment of its functional roles. Data suggest that the perivascular pool of AQP4 plays a role in edema formation and that this pool (through its serial coupling with the AQP4 pools in other astrocyte membranes) is involved in K(+) siphoning. In the cerebral cortex, the astrocyte membrane domain contacting the pial basal lamina differs from the perivascular membrane domain in regard to the mechanisms for AQP anchoring. Thus deletion of alpha-syntrophin causes only a 50% loss of AQP4 from the former membrane (compared with a 90% loss in the latter), pointing to the existence of additional anchoring proteins. We will also discuss the subcellular distribution and anchoring of AQP4 in the other cell types that express this protein: endothelial cells, ependymal cells, and the specialized astrocytes of the osmosensitive organs.

Syntrophin-dependent expression and localization of Aquaporin-4 water channel protein.

The Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channel contributes to brain water homeostasis in perivascular astrocyte endfeet where it is concentrated. We postulated that AQP4 is tethered at this site by binding of the AQP4 C terminus to the PSD95-Discs large-ZO1 (PDZ) domain of syntrophin, a component of the dystrophin protein complex. Chemical cross-linking and coimmunoprecipitations from brain demonstrated AQP4 in association with the complex, including dystrophin, beta-dystroglycan, and syntrophin. AQP4 expression was studied in brain and skeletal muscle of mice lacking alpha-syntrophin (alpha-Syn(-/-)). The total level of AQP4 expression appears normal in brains of alpha-Syn(-/-) mice, but the polarized subcellular localization is reversed. High-resolution immunogold analyses revealed that AQP4 expression is markedly reduced in astrocyte endfeet membranes adjacent to blood vessels in cerebellum and cerebral cortex of alpha-Syn(-/-) mice, but is present at higher than normal levels in membranes facing neuropil. In contrast, AQP4 is virtually absent from skeletal muscle in alpha-Syn(-/-) mice. Deletion of the PDZ-binding consensus (Ser-Ser-Val) at the AQP4 C terminus similarly reduced expression in transfected cell lines, and pulse-chase labeling demonstrated an increased degradation rate. These results demonstrate that perivascular localization of AQP4 in brain requires alpha-Syn, and stability of AQP4 in the membrane is increased by the C-terminal PDZ-binding motif.

A novel role of vasopressin in the brain: modulation of activity-dependent water flux in the neocortex.

The brain contains an intrinsic vasopressin fiber system the function of which is unknown. It has been demonstrated recently that astrocytes express high levels of a water channel, aquaporin-4 (AQP4). Because vasopressin is known to regulate aquaporin expression and translocation in kidney collecting ducts and thereby control water reabsorption, we hypothesized that vasopressin might serve a similar function in the brain. By recording intrinsic optical signals in an acute cortical slice preparation we showed that evoked neuronal activity generates a radial water flux in the neocortex. The rapid onset and high capacity of this flux suggest that it is mediated through the AQP4-containing astrocytic syncytium that spans the entire thickness of the neocortical mantle. Vasopressin and vasopressin receptor V1a agonists were found to facilitate this flux. V1a antagonists blocked the facilitatory effect of vasopressin and reduced the water flux even in the absence of any exogenous agonist. V2 agonists or antagonists had no effect. These data suggest that vasopressin and V1a receptors play a crucial role in the regulation of brain water and ion homeostasis, most probably by modulating aquaporin-mediated water flux through astrocyte plasma membranes.

Immunolocalization of AQP9 in liver, epididymis, testis, spleen, and brain.

The aims of this study were to determine the cellular and subcellular localization of aquaporin-9 (AQP9) in different rat organs by immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy. To analyze this, we used rabbit antibodies to rat AQP9 raised against three different AQP9 peptides (amino acids 267-287, 274-295, and 278-295). In Cos7 cells transfected with rat AQP9, the affinity-purified antibodies exhibited marked labeling, whereas nontransfected cells and cells transfected with aquaporin-8 (AQP8) exhibited no labeling, indicating the specificity of the AQP9 antibodies. Immunoblotting revealed a predominant band of 28 kDa in membranes of total rat liver, epididymis, testes, spleen, and brain. Preabsorption with the immunizing peptides eliminated the labeling. Immunohistochemistry showed strong anti-AQP9 labeling in liver hepatocytes. The labeling was strongest at the sinusoidal surface, and there was little intracellular labeling. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that the labeling was associated with the plasma membrane of the hepatocytes. In testes Leydig cells exhibited anti-AQP9 labeling, and in epididymis, the stereocilia of the ciliated cells (principal cells) exhibited significant labeling, whereas there was no labeling of the nonciliated cells (basal cells). This was confirmed by immunoelectron microscopy. In spleen strong labeling of cells was observed of leukocytes in the red pulp, whereas there was no labeling of cells in the white pulp. In rat brain, AQP9 immunolabeling was confined to ependymal cells lining the ventricles and to the tanycytes of the mediobasal hypothalamus. Antibody preabsorbed with the immunizing peptide revealed no labeling. In conclusion, AQP9 proteins is strongly expressed in rat liver, testes, epididymis, spleen, and brain.

Ontogeny of water transport in rat brain: postnatal expression of the aquaporin-4 water channel.

Brain water transport is poorly understood at the molecular level, and marked changes occur during brain development. As the aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channel protein is abundant in brain, the expression levels and subcellular distribution of this protein were examined during postnatal development. This study focused on the cerebellum, which showed the same pattern of AQP4 development as the rest of the brain. Semiquantitative immunoblotting revealed very low levels of AQP4 in the first postnatal week. A pronounced increase was noted in the second week, from 2% of adult level at postnatal day 7 (PN7) to 25% at PN14. At PN1 and PN3 immunofluorescence microscopy revealed weak labelling, mainly in radial processes (Bergmann fibres) and at the pial surface. Between PN7 and PN14 the labelling underneath the pia showed a strong increase, and immunoreactivity also appeared around blood vessels throughout the cerebellum. High-resolution immunogold electron microscopy revealed that the subpial and perivascular labelling was restricted to glial end feet, notably to those plasma membrane domains that were apposed to the basal laminae. At no stage was there any evidence of neuronal AQP4 labelling, and AQP1, -2, -3 and -5 proteins were not detected in the neuropil. Riboprobes to AQP4 mRNA produced a particularly strong in situ hybridization signal in glial cells between PN7 and PN14, corresponding to the stage of the most rapid increase of AQP4 protein. The time course and pattern of AQP4 expression suggests that this aquaporin plays an important role in brain water and K+ homeostasis from the second week of development.

Specialized membrane domains for water transport in glial cells: high-resolution immunogold cytochemistry of aquaporin-4 in rat brain.

Membrane water transport is critically involved in brain volume homeostasis and in the pathogenesis of brain edema. The cDNA encoding aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channel protein was recently isolated from rat brain. We used immunocytochemistry and high-resolution immunogold electron microscopy to identify the cells and membrane domains that mediate water flux through AQP4. The AQP4 protein is abundant in glial cells bordering the subarachnoidal space, ventricles, and blood vessels. AQP4 is also abundant in osmosensory areas, including the supraoptic nucleus and subfornical organ. Immunogold analysis demonstrated that AQP4 is restricted to glial membranes and to subpopulations of ependymal cells. AQP4 is particularly strongly expressed in glial membranes that are in direct contact with capillaries and pia. The highly polarized AQP4 expression indicates that these cells are equipped with specific membrane domains that are specialized for water transport, thereby mediating the flow of water between glial cells and the cavities filled with CSF and the intravascular space.

Differential localization of delta glutamate receptors in the rat cerebellum: coexpression with AMPA receptors in parallel fiber-spine synapses and absence from climbing fiber-spine synapses.

The delta 2 glutamate receptors are prominently expressed in Purkinje cells and are thought to play a key role in the induction of cerebellar long-term depression. The synaptic and subsynaptic localization of delta receptors in rat cerebellar cortex was investigated with sensitive and high-resolution immunogold procedures. After postembedding incubation with an antibody raised to a C-terminal peptide of delta 2, high gold particle densities occurred in all parallel fiber synapses with Purkinje cell dendritic spines, whereas other synapses were consistently devoid of labeling. Among the types of immunonegative synapse were climbing fiber synapses with spines and parallel fiber synapses with dendritic stems of interneurons. At the parallel fiber-spine synapse, gold particles signaling delta receptors were restricted to the postsynaptic specialization. By the use of double labeling with two different gold particle sizes, it was shown that delta and AMPA GluR2/3 receptors were colocalized along the entire extent of the postsynaptic specialization without forming separate domains. The distribution of gold particles representing delta receptors was consistent with a cytoplasmic localization of the C terminus and an absence of a significant presynaptic pool of receptor molecules. The present data suggest that the delta 2 receptors are targeted selectively to a subset of Purkinje cell spines and that they are coexpressed with ionotropic receptors in the postsynaptic specialization. This arrangement could allow for a direct interaction between the two classes of receptor.

Light- and electronmicroscopic distribution of taurine, an organic osmolyte, in rat renal tubule cells.

Several lines of evidence suggest that taurine acts as an organic osmolyte in the kidney. We investigated the cellular and subcellular distribution of this amino acid in rat renal tubule cells. Semi- and ultrathin sections of plastic-embedded rat kidney were incubated with an antiserum against conjugated taurine, using peroxidase-antiperoxidase and immunogold procedures, respectively. Extensive control tests confirmed the selectivity of the antiserum. Our immunocytochemical preparations revealed a highly differentiated labeling pattern. Strong labeling (judged visually or by computer-aided calculation of gold particle densities) was found in collecting duct cells throughout cortex and medulla, in proximal straight tubule cells, and in cells of the descending thin limbs of Henle's loop. Intermediate gold particle densities occurred in proximal convoluted tubule cells and intercalated cells of the collecting ducts (the gold particle in the latter being 30% of that in the collecting duct cells). The distal convoluted tubules, and thick and thin ascending limbs were almost immunonegative. It cannot be excluded that the proportion of free taurine that is retained by the fixative varies somewhat among the different cell types. Yet the highly differentiated labeling pattern that was obtained suggests that taurine is heterogeneously distributed among different populations of tubule cells, and that its level varies substantially even among cells that are exposed to the same osmotic stress.