Estradiol and raloxifene protect cultured SN4741 neurons against oxidative stress.

A large body of research has documented neuroprotective effects of estrogen against oxidative stress. Some neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, in which oxidative stress has been implicated as a contributing factor, affect more males than females, suggesting a possible protective effect of estrogen. We used the clonal substantia nigra cell line SN4741 to compare the neuroprotective properties of estrogen and raloxifene against oxidative stress, and to determine whether raloxifene acted as an estrogen agonist or antagonist in this system.

beta-estradiol influences differentiation of hippocampal neurons in vitro through an estrogen receptor-mediated process.

We utilized morphometric analysis of 3 day cultures of hippocampal neurons to determine the effects of both estradiol and the synthetic estrogen receptor modulator raloxifene on several parameters of neuronal growth and differentiation. These measurements included survival, neurite production, dendrite number, and axon and dendrite length and branching. 17 beta-Estradiol (10 nM) selectively stimulated dendrite branching; this effect was neither mimicked by alpha-estradiol, nor blocked by the estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182780.

Enhancement of dendritic branching in cultured hippocampal neurons by 17beta-estradiol is mediated by nitric oxide.

Both 17beta-estradiol (E2) and nitric oxide (NO) are important in neuronal development, learning and memory, and age-related memory changes. There is growing evidence that a number of estrogen receptor-mediated effects of estradiol utilize nitric oxide as an intermediary. The role of estradiol in hippocampal neuronal differentiation and function has particular implications for learning and memory.

Culturing rat hippocampal neurons.

Cultured neurons are widely used to investigate the mechanisms of neurotoxicity. Embryonic rat hippocampal neurons may be grown as described under a wide variety of conditions to suit differing experimental procedures, including electrophysiology, morphological analysis of neurite development, and various biochemical and molecular analyses.

Nanomolar concentrations of nicotine and cotinine alter the development of cultured hippocampal neurons via non-acetylcholine receptor-mediated mechanisms.

We investigated the effects of nicotine and its metabolic byproduct cotinine on survival, differentiation and intracellular Ca2+ levels of cultured E18 rat hippocampal neurons. We used a range of concentrations from 1 nM to 10 microM, most of which are within the likely range of human fetal exposure from maternal smoking. Nicotine did not influence neuron survival or neurite production.