Background Recent population studies have suggested that children with multiple exposures to anesthesia and surgery at an early age are at an increased risk of cognitive impairment. We therefore have established an animal model with multiple versus single exposures of anesthetic(s) in young versus adult mice, aiming to distinguish the role of different anesthesia in cognitive impairment. Methods Six day and 60 day-old mice were exposed to various anesthesia regimen. We then determined the effects of the anesthesia on learning and memory function, levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in brain tissues, and the amount of ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 positive cells, the marker of microglia activation, in the hippocampus. Results Here we show that anesthesia with 3% sevoflurane two hours daily for three days induced cognitive impairment and neuroinflammation [e.g., increased interleukin-6 levels: 151% ± 2.3 (mean ± SD) versus 100% ± 9.0, P = 0.035, n = 6] in young, but not adult, mice. Anesthesia with 3% sevoflurane two hours daily for one day and 9% desflurane two hours daily for three days induced neither cognitive impairment nor neuroinflammation. Finally, an enriched environment and anti-inflammation treatment (ketorolac) ameliorated the sevoflurane anesthesia-induced cognitive impairment. Conclusions Anesthesia-induced cognitive impairment may depend on developmental stage, anesthetic agent, and the number of exposures. These findings also suggest the cellular basis and the potential prevention and treatment strategies for the anesthesia-induced cognitive impairment, which may ultimately lead to safer anesthesia care and better postoperative outcomes for children.

Objective-An estimated 200 million patients worldwide have surgery each year. Anesthesia and surgery have been reported to facilitate emergence of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The commonly used inhalation anesthetic isoflurane has previously been reported to induce apoptosis and to increase levels and aggregation of AD-associated amyloid β-protein (Aβ) in cultured cells. However, the in vivo relevance has not been addressed.Methods-We therefore set out to determine effects of isoflurane on caspase activation, levels of BACE and Aβ in naïve mice, employing Western blot, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.Results-Here we show for the first time that a clinically relevant isoflurane anesthesia (1.4% isoflurane for two hours) leads to caspase activation and modest increases in levels of the β-site APP-cleaving enzyme (BACE) six hours after anesthesia in mouse brain. Isoflurane anesthesia induces caspase activation, increases levels of BACE and Aβ up to 24 hours after anesthesia. Isoflurane may increase BACE levels by reducing BACE degradation. Moreover, the Aβ aggregation inhibitor, clioquinol, was able to attenuate isoflurane-induced caspase-3 activation in vivo.Interpretation-Given that transient insults to brain may lead to long term brain damage, these findings suggest that isoflurane may promote AD neuropathogenesis and, as such, have implications for use of isoflurane in humans, pending on human study confirmation.

A clinically relevant concentration of isoflurane induces apoptosis, alters APP processing, and increases Abeta production in a human neuroglioma cell line. Because altered processing of APP leading to accumulation of Abeta is a key event in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease, these findings may have implications for use of this anesthetic agent in individuals with excessive levels of cerebral Abeta and elderly patients at increased risk for postoperative cognitive dysfunction.

The anesthetic isoflurane has been reported to induce apoptosis and increase A␤ generation and aggregation. However, the molecular mechanism underlying these effects remains unknown. We therefore set out to assess whether the effects of isoflurane on apoptosis are linked to amyloid ␤-protein (A␤) generation and aggregation. For this purpose, we assessed the effects of isoflurane on ␤-site amyloid ␤ precursor protein (APP)-cleaving enzyme (BACE) and ␥-secretase, the proteases responsible for A␤ generation. We also tested the effects of inhibitors of A␤ aggregation (iA␤5, a ␤-sheet breaker peptide; clioquinol, a copper-zinc chelator) on the ability of isoflurane to induce apoptosis. All of these studies were performed on naive human H4 neuroglioma cells as well as those overexpressing APP (H4-APP cells). Isoflurane increased the levels of BACE and ␥-secretase and secreted A␤ in the H4-APP cells. Isoflurane-induced A␤ generation could be blocked by the broad-based caspase inhibitor Z-VAD. The A␤ aggregation inhibitors, iA␤5 and clioquinol, selectively attenuated caspase-3 activation induced by isoflurane. However, isoflurane was able to induce caspase-3 activation in the absence of any detectable alterations of A␤ generation in naive H4 cells. Finally, A␤ potentiated the isoflurane-induced caspase-3 activation in naive H4 cells. Collectively, these findings suggest that isoflurane can induce apoptosis, which, in turn, increases BACE and ␥-secretase levels and A␤ secretion. Isoflurane also promotes A␤ aggregation. Accumulation of aggregated A␤ in the media can then promote apoptosis. The result is a vicious cycle of isoflurane-induced apoptosis, A␤ generation and aggregation, and additional rounds of apoptosis, leading to cell death.

Objective There are approximately 8.5 million Alzheimer disease (AD) patients who need anesthesia and surgery care every year. The inhalation anesthetic isoflurane, but not desflurane, has been shown to induce caspase activation and apoptosis, which are part of AD neuropathogenesis, through the mitochondria-dependent apoptosis pathway. However, the in vivo relevance, underlying mechanisms, and functional consequences of these findings remain largely to be determined. Methods We therefore set out to assess the effects of isoflurane and desflurane on mitochondrial function, cytotoxicity, learning, and memory using flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, Western blot analysis, immunocytochemistry, and the fear conditioning test. Results Here we show that isoflurane, but not desflurane, induces opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), increase in levels of reactive oxygen species, reduction in levels of mitochondrial membrane potential and adenosine-5′-triphosphate, activation of caspase 3, and impairment of learning and memory in cultured cells, mouse hippocampus neurons, mouse hippocampus, and mice. Moreover, cyclosporine A, a blocker of mPTP opening, attenuates isoflurane-induced mPTP opening, caspase 3 activation, and impairment of learning and memory. Finally, isoflurane may induce the opening of mPTP via increasing levels of reactive oxygen species. Interpretation These findings suggest that desflurane could be a safer anesthetic for AD patients as compared to isoflurane, and elucidate the potential mitochondria-associated underlying mechanisms, and therefore have implications for use of anesthetics in AD patients, pending human study confirmation.

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The common inhalation anesthetic isoflurane has been shown to induce apoptosis, which then leads to accumulation of ␤-amyloid protein, the hallmark feature of Alzheimer disease neuropathogenesis. The underlying molecular mechanism of the isoflurane-induced apoptosis is largely unknown. We, therefore, set out to assess whether isoflurane can induce apoptosis by regulating Bcl-2 family proteins, enhancing reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and activating the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. We performed these studies in cultured cells, primary neurons, and mice. Here we show for the first time that treatment with 2% isoflurane for 6 h can increase pro-apoptotic factor Bax levels, decrease antiapoptotic factor Bcl-2 levels, increase ROS accumulation, facilitate cytochrome c release from the mitochondria to the cytosol, induce activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, and finally cause apoptosis as compared with the control condition. We have further found that isoflurane can increase the mRNA levels of Bax and reduce the mRNA levels of Bcl-2. The isoflurane-induced ROS accumulation can be attenuated by the intracellular calcium chelator BAPTA. Finally, the anesthetic desflurane does not induce activation of mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. These results suggest that isoflurane may induce apoptosis through Bcl-2 family proteins-and ROS-associated mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. These findings, which have identified at least partially the molecular mechanism by which isoflurane induces apoptosis, will promote more studies aimed at studying the potential neurotoxic effects of anesthetics.An estimated 200 million patients worldwide undergo anesthesia and surgery each year. Some clinical studies suggest that anesthesia and surgery may be associated with Alzheimer disease (AD) 3 (1-3), although different findings also exist (4, 5). Several recent studies have reported that isoflurane, one of the most commonly used inhalation anesthetics, may potentially contribute to AD neuropathogenesis by inducing apoptotic cell death and increasing ␤-amyloid protein oligomerization and accumulation in vitro and in vivo (6 -13). However, the upstream mechanism by which isoflurane induces apoptosis remains largely to be determined.Apoptosis is a programmed cell death which can be triggered by environmental and/or developmentally associated signals (14). The central components of the apoptosis process are a group of proteolytic enzymes called caspases, which can be activated by various types of stimulation (15). The extrinsic, death receptor pathway involves activation of caspase-8, which then cleaves caspase-3, leading to apoptosis (for review, see Ref. 16). The intrinsic, mitochondrial pathway is regulated by Bcl-2 family proteins, including the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 and the pro-apoptotic factor Bax (for review, see Ref. 17) and involves cytochrome c release from the mitochondria to the cytosol. The released cytochrome c then activates caspase-9, which consequently induces caspase-3 activation, leading to apoptosi...

Postoperative delirium is associated with increased morbidity, mortality and cost. However, its neuropathogenesis remains largely unknown, partially owing to lack of animal model(s). We therefore set out to employ a battery of behavior tests, including natural and learned behavior, in mice to determine the effects of laparotomy under isoflurane anesthesia (Anesthesia/Surgery) on these behaviors. The mice were tested at 24 hours before and at 6, 9 and 24 hours after the Anesthesia/Surgery. Composite Z scores were calculated. Cyclosporine A, an inhibitor of mitochondria permeability transient pore, was used to determine potential mitochondria-associated mechanisms of these behavioral changes. Anesthesia/Surgery selectively impaired behaviors, including latency to eat food in buried food test, freezing time and time spent in the center in open field test, and entries and duration in the novel arm of Y maze test, with acute onset and various timecourse. The composite Z scores quantitatively demonstrated the Anesthesia/Surgery-induced behavior impairment in mice. Cyclosporine A selectively ameliorated the Anesthesia/Surgery-induced reduction in ATP levels, the increases in latency to eat food, and the decreases in entries in the novel arm. These findings suggest that we could use a battery of behavior tests to establish a mouse model to study postoperative delirium.