High-fat diets impede the lowering effect of cyclosporine A on rat brain lipids and interact with the expression of apolipoproteins E and J.

Cyclosporine A (CsA), a common immunosuppressive agent, produces hyperlipidemia and apolipoprotein profile alterations in plasma as well as neurological and psychiatric complications. In rats, 10 mg CsA/kg/d treatments for 3 wk induce alterations of the electroencephalogram, and of the blood and brain lipids. Using this model, we evaluated whether triacylglycerol (TG)- and lecithin (PC)-enriched diets, reported to decrease epileptic episodes (TG) and to improve memory, could modify the effects of CsA treatment on brain lipids and possibly change apolipoprotein (apo) E and apoJ gene expression.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) prevents inflammatory stress in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is an antioxidant component of propolis, a natural product secreted by honeybee. Recent literature shows that CAPE inhibits nuclear factor kappa B (NFkappaB) activation in cell lines. Since NFkappaB was shown to be a crucial factor in neuroinflammation and to be associated with some neuropathologies, CAPE might reduce these disorders in brain too and have therapeutic applications.

Effects of cyclosporine-A on brain lipids and apolipoprotein E, J gene expression in rats.

Cyclosporine-A, an immunosuppressive agent, is known to produce complications such as seizures and encephalopathies. It alters peripheral lipid metabolism, but its effect on brain lipid metabolism is unknown. Alterations in brain cholesterol and phosphatidylcholine levels, as well as in apolipoproteine E and J gene expression, are reportedly involved in epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease (AD) and were here evaluated in rats following administration of cyclosporine-A for 3 weeks.