Cannabinoid neuroprotection is usually greater in vivo than in neuronal cell culture systems. To the authors' knowledge, a good in vitro culture model for the neuroprotective effects of cannabinoids does not exist. Therefore, a 3-dimensional (3D) culture system was developed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of the cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN-55,212-2 on apoptosis of differentiated PC12 cells, caused by the organophosphorus compounds paraoxon and diazinon. Cells pretreated with WIN-55,212-2 were exposed to a proapoptotic concentration of paraoxon and diazinon. TUNEL was used to detect apoptosis, and neurite length was assessed by morphometry. Both paraoxon and diazinon induced apoptosis, although the latter was more potent. WIN-55,212-2 also protected cells from neurite retraction and DNA fragmentation induced by the OPs. The results suggest that WIN-55,212-2 protects PC12 cells cultured under 3D conditions from organophosphorus-induced apoptosis. This 3D culture system may prove to be a useful tool for investigating the neuroprotective effects of cannabinoids.
SUMMARY:Considering the size of some nuclei and area, sex hormones control the sexual development of the brain. The sexual development of the brain can also be influenced by environmental stress. This study aimed to clear the effect of prenatal water deprivation on the development of sexual dimorphic nucleus (SDN) of the brain. In this research, pregnant rats were divided into two groups (control and treated). For the treated animals, water was removed from the ewes for 48 h at the end of third trimester of gestation (19-21 days). TUNEL staining was used for detection of apoptosis in paraffin embedded diencephalon selected sections. The ratio of apoptotic cells to non-apoptotic ones was calculated as apoptotic index. Differences of apoptotic index and serum testosterone were examined for statistical significance using Paired T-test (p<0.05). The apoptotic index was 0.0160±.01174% for control and 0.1870±.02541 % for treated groups. The concentration of serum testosterone was 22.4±1.3 for control and 13.37±3.3 for treated groups. Prenatal water deprivation induces apoptosis in developing SDN nucleus of male rats that is derived by reducing the concentration of serum testosterone. The study shows the importance of low concentration acting testosterone for development of SDN nucleus that can be affected by environmental stress.
Despite remarkable progress in medical and surgical therapy for heart disease, congestive heart failure (CHF) and coronary artery disease (CAD) are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Although implantation of a left ventricular assist device has recently emerged as a promising therapy for CHF, no other therapy holds as much promise for the treatment of patients suffering from cardiovascular disease other than cardiac regeneration. In this regard, there are substantial pre-clinical and clinical studies that have elucidated the safety and efficacy of cardiac stem cell-based therapy using a variety of cell lines to promote regeneration of the heart. In spite of promising results in both animal and human studies, the exact fate of these administered stem cells within the human heart is poorly understood as is the mechanism by which they promote myocardial recovery and regeneration. These limitations of our current knowledge base can be considered a critical issue limiting widespread application of stem cell-based therapy.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.