RESUMO
The regulation of programmed cell death in the nervous system of vertebrates is a complex mechanism aimed to remove superfluous or damaged cells. Epileptic seizures can lead to an activation of pathways resulting in neuronal cell death. B-vitamins might have a neuroprotective potential reducing cell death following appropriate stimulation. Here, the role of the B-vitamins B(1) (thiamine), B(6) (pyridoxine), and B(12) (cobalamine) was investigated in a mouse model of experimental epilepsy induced by kainate. B-vitamin pre-treated animals showed a significantly reduced epileptic score during the first 15 min after kainate injection. The molecular response to kainate showed a bi-phased time course with early induction of Bcl-2 expression within 12 h and a second induction after 7 days of kainate exposure. B-vitamin pre-treatment resulted in significant higher Bcl-2 expression in control animals (no kainate) and at 12 h within the early phase. Bcl-2 expression was not affected by B-vitamins within the second phase. BAX expression was not significantly influenced during the whole experiment. Three days after kainate stimulation, the number of TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling-positive cells in the hippocampal region was lower in B-vitamin-treated animals. Therefore, B-vitamin pre-treatment may attenuate the response to epileptic stimulation.
Assuntos
Encéfalo/efeitos dos fármacos , Epilepsia/prevenção & controle , Fármacos Neuroprotetores , Complexo Vitamínico B , Animais , Comportamento Animal/efeitos dos fármacos , Encéfalo/fisiopatologia , Morte Celular , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Epilepsia/induzido quimicamente , Epilepsia/fisiopatologia , Agonistas de Aminoácidos Excitatórios/toxicidade , Feminino , Marcação In Situ das Extremidades Cortadas , Ácido Caínico/toxicidade , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/farmacologia , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/uso terapêutico , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/metabolismo , Complexo Vitamínico B/farmacologia , Complexo Vitamínico B/uso terapêutico , Proteína X Associada a bcl-2/genética , Proteína X Associada a bcl-2/metabolismoRESUMO
There are sporadic reports that assorted combinations of B vitamins can alleviate pain in diabetic patients, but there is neither agreement on the relative efficacy of individual B vitamins nor understanding of the mechanisms involved. We therefore investigated the efficacy of a cocktail of the vitamins B1, B6 and B12 in alleviating behavioral indices of sensory dysfunction such as allodynia and hyperalgesia in diabetic rats and also the relative contribution of individual components of the cocktail. Repeated daily treatment with the cocktail of B vitamins for 7-9 days ameliorated tactile allodynia and formalin-evoked hyperalgesia in a dose-dependent manner and also improved sensory nerve conduction velocity in diabetic rats. Investigation of the contribution of individual B vitamins suggested that all three participated with variable efficacy in the alleviation of allodynia after protracted, but not single dose treatment. Only vitamin B6 improved sensory nerve conduction velocity slowing in diabetic rats when given alone. To address potential mechanisms of action, we measured markers of oxidative stress (lipid and protein oxidation) and inflammation (cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and TNFalpha protein) in the nerve but treatment with the vitamin B cocktail did not significantly affect any of these parameters. The positive effects of B vitamins on functional and behavioral disorders of diabetic rats suggest a potential for use in treating painful diabetic neuropathy.
