Role of the GLT-1 subtype of glutamate transporter in glutamate homeostasis: the GLT-1-preferring inhibitor WAY-855 produces marginal neurotoxicity in the rat hippocampus.

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and is tightly regulated by cell surface transporters to avoid increases in concentration and associated neurotoxicity. Selective blockers of glutamate transporter subtypes are sparse and so knock-out animals and antisense techniques have been used to study their specific roles. Here we used WAY-855, a GLT-1-preferring blocker, to assess the role of GLT-1 in rat hippocampus.

Over-expression of the human EAAT2 glutamate transporter within neurons of mouse organotypic hippocampal slice cultures leads to increased vulnerability of CA1 pyramidal cells.

Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) maintain the balance between pathological and physiological conditions by limiting the extracellular concentration of glutamate within the CNS and thus preventing excitotoxic injury. The loss of EAAT2 has been associated with the development of neurological diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It has therefore been suggested that the over-expression of specific EAATs may provide some degree of neuroprotection.

Influence of postoperative complementary treatment with lectin-standardized mistletoe extract on breast cancer patients. A controlled epidemiological multicentric retrolective cohort study.

This epidemiological study was performed to evaluate the influence of postoperative complementary treatment with lectin-standardized mistletoe extract (sME) on breast cancer patients. The design (retrolective cohort analysis with parallel groups) and conduct of the study were in agreement with current standards for prospectively randomized clinical trials. A cohort of 1,248 breast cancer patients on postoperative chemo-, radio-, hormone-therapy were studied in 27 randomized centers.

Effects of a selective agonist and antagonist of CRF2 receptors on cardiovascular function in the rat.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of activation or blockade of the CRF(2) receptor subtype on cardiovascular function in conscious rats following systemic i.v. administration of the CRF(2) receptor peptide agonist urocortin 2 given alone and the selective CRF(2) receptor peptide antagonist antisauvagine-30 given alone.

Ischemic preconditioning reduces infarct volume after subdural hematoma in the rat.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of ischemic preconditioning on infarct volume in a rat model of subdural hematoma (SDH). Ischemic preconditioning was induced by 15 min transient middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion followed 3 days later by the injection of 300 microl of autologous venous blood into the subdural space. Preconditioning significantly reduced the volume of cortical infarction (by 26%, P<0.