Picrotoxin (PTX), a convulsant of plant origin, has been used in many studies as research tool. PTX is the open channel blocker of the GABA receptor (GABAR). Being in the pore, PTX initiates transfer of the channel to the closed state and thus it falls into the "trap".
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNoopept (NP) is a proline-containing dipeptide with nootropic and neuroprotective properties. We have previously shown that NP significantly increased the frequency of spontaneous IPSCs in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells mediated by the activation of inhibitory interneurons in stratum radiatum. The cholinergic system plays an important role in the performance of cognitive functions, furthermore multiple behavioral and clinical facts link NP with the cholinergic system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe ability of endogenous neurosteroids (NSs) with pregnane skeleton modified at positions C-3 and C-5 to modulate the functional activity of inhibitory glycine receptors (GlyR) and ionotropic ɣ-aminobutyric acid receptors (GABA R) was estimated. The glycine and GABA-induced chloride current (I and I ) were measured in isolated pyramidal neurons of the rat hippocampus and in isolated rat cerebellar Purkinje cells, respectively. Our experiments demonstrated that pregnane NSs affected I and I in a different manner.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLypd6 is a GPI-tethered protein from the Ly-6/uPAR family expressed in the brain. Lypd6 enhances the Wnt/β-catenin signaling, although its action on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) have been also proposed. To investigate a cholinergic activity of Lypd6, we studied a recombinant water-soluble variant of the human protein (ws-Lypd6) containing isolated "three-finger" LU-domain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe deuterium content modification in an organism has a neuroprotective effect during the hypoxia model, affecting anxiety, memory and stress resistance. The aim of this work was to elucidate the possible mechanisms of the medium D/H composition modification on nerve cells. We studied the effect of an incubation medium with a 50 ppm deuterium content compared to a medium with 150 ppm on: (1) the activity of Wistar rats' hippocampus CA1 field neurons, (2) the level of cultured cerebellar neuron death during glucose deprivation and temperature stress, (3) mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and the generation of reactive oxygen species in cultures of cerebellar neurons.
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