Interleukin-10 regulates progenitor differentiation and modulates neurogenesis in adult brain.

The adult subventricular zone (SVZ) is the main neurogenic niche in the adult brain of mice and rats. The adult SVZ contains neural stem cells (NSCs) that primarily differentiate into committed neuroblasts. The newly generated neuroblasts accumulate in dorsal SVZ where they further differentiate and initiate a long migration pathway to their final destination, the olfactory bulb (OB).

Antioxidant CR-6 protects against reperfusion injury after a transient episode of focal brain ischemia in rats.

Oxidative and nitrosative stress are targets for intervention after ischemia/reperfusion. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of CR-6, a vitamin-E analogue that is antioxidant and scavenger of nitrogen-reactive species. Sprague-Dawley rats had the middle cerebral artery (MCA) occluded either for 90 mins or permanently.

Participation of oxidative stress on rat middle cerebral artery changes induced by focal cerebral ischemia: beneficial effects of 3,4-dihydro-6-hydroxy-7-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-1(2H)-benzopyran (CR-6).

Cerebral ischemia followed by reperfusion alters vessel properties of brain arteries in rats, inducing an inflammatory response and excessive generation of reactive oxygen species. This study investigated the participation of oxidative stress on vessel properties after ischemia/reperfusion and the beneficial effects of 3,4-dihydro-6-hydroxy-7-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-1(2H)-benzopyran (CR-6). The right middle cerebral artery was occluded (90 min) and reperfused (24 h).

Endothelial dysfunction in rat mesenteric resistance artery after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Stroke triggers a local and systemic inflammatory response leading to the production of cytokines that can influence blood vessel reactivity. In this study, we aimed to assess whether cerebral ischemia/reperfusion could affect vasoconstriction and vasodilatation on mesenteric resistance arteries (MRA) from Wistar Kyoto rats. The right middle cerebral artery was occluded (90 min) and reperfused (24 h).

Acute effects of three isoflavone class phytoestrogens and a mycoestrogen on cerebral microcirculation.

Phytoestrogens and mycoestrogens are naturally occurring plant and fungus secondary metabolites with estrogen-like structure and/or actions. We aimed to check the hypothesis that phytoestrogens and mycoestrogens, due to their ability to elicit cerebral vasodilation, can induce acute increases in brain blood perfusion. For this purpose, we continuously recorded cerebrocortical perfusion by laser-Doppler flowmetry in anesthetized rats receiving intracarotid infusions (1 mg/kg) of one of the following estrogenic compounds: biochanin A, daidzein, genistein or zearalanone.

Chronic intracerebroventricular delivery of the secretory phospholipase A2 inhibitor, 12-epi-scalaradial, does not improve outcome after focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rats.

Phospholipase A2s (PLA2s) seem to be involved in the pathophysiology of ischemic brain injury, but their specific role is far from being completely understood. The present study was carried out to ascertain how and to what extent secretory PLA2s (sPLA2s) activity influences outcome after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion, and to correlate this with the inflammatory response. To do this we used the potent and selective sPLA2 inhibitor, 12-epi-scalaradial.

Dietary phytoestrogens improve stroke outcome after transient focal cerebral ischemia in rats.

As phytoestrogens are postulated as being neuroprotectants, we assessed the hypothesis that dietary isoflavone-type phytoestrogens are neuroprotective against ischemic stroke. Transient focal cerebral ischemia (90 min) was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) following the intraluminal thread technique, both in rats fed with soy-based diet and in rats fed with isoflavone-free diet. Cerebro-cortical laser-Doppler flow (cortical perfusion, CP), arterial blood pressure, core temperature, PaO2, PaCO2, pH and glycemia were measured before, during and after MCAO.

Relaxant effect of sildenafil in the rabbit basilar artery.

We hypothesized that sildenafil, inhibitor of phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5), interacts with the nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP pathway in the cerebral arteries and shows vasoactive effects. To prove it in the isolated rabbit basilar artery, we compared the effects of sildenafil with other PDE-5 inhibitors, assessed the endothelial dependence of the vasoactive responses, and used modulators of the cGMP and cAMP signaling processes. Sildenafil (10 nM-0.

Inhibition of iNOS activity by 1400W decreases glutamate release and ameliorates stroke outcome after experimental ischemia.

Background And Purpose: It has been shown that the reversed operation of glutamate transporters when ATP levels fall accounts for most glutamate release induced by severe cerebral ischemia. Nitric oxide (NO) is formed after ischemia and causes ATP depletion. Our purpose is to test if NO release from inducible NO synthase (iNOS) after stroke may cause a delayed glutamate release due to ATP depletion that might underlie progression of the ischemic infarct.

Single-dose ebselen does not afford sustained neuroprotection to rats subjected to severe focal cerebral ischemia.

Oxygen free radicals have been involved in the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia, especially after spontaneous or thrombolytic reperfusion. In this study with rats, we have combined a severe focal ischemic insult (2 h) and a prolonged reperfusion time (7 days) to assess the possible sustained neuroprotective effect of ebselen (10 or 100 mg/kg), a small, lipophilic organoselenium compound which mimics glutathione peroxidase. Parietal cortical perfusion was measured by laser-Doppler flowmetry, and focal cerebral ischemia was carried out by the intraluminal thread method.

Pharmacological profile of phytoestrogens in cerebral vessels: in vitro study with rabbit basilar artery.

As a previous step to consider their use in the pharmacology for stroke, we investigated the effects of four phytoestrogens (i.e. genistein, daidzein, zearalanone and biochanin A) on cerebral vessels.

Acute relaxant effects of 17-beta-estradiol through non-genomic mechanisms in rabbit carotid artery.

Estrogens could play a cardiovascular protective role not only by means of systemic effects but also by means of direct effects on vascular structure and function. We have studied the acute effects and mechanisms of action of 17-beta-estradiol on vascular tone of rabbit isolated carotid artery. 17-Beta-estradiol (10, 30, and 100 microM) elicited concentration-dependent relaxation of 50 mM KCl-induced active tone in male and female rabbit carotid artery.