Effects of Experimental Coma on the Expression of Bcl-2 Protein and Caspases 3 and 9 in Rat Brain.

We performed immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of caspases 3, 9 and bcl-2 protein in rat brain at various terms after administration of LD50 of sodium thiopental. Expression of the specified apoptosis markers was found in the sensorimotor cortex and hippocampus (dentate gyrus and CA2 region).

Effect of long-term stress on H3Ser10 histone phosphorylation in neuronal nuclei of the sensorimotor cortex and midbrain reticular formation in rats with different nervous system excitability.

The effects of long-term mental and pain stress on H3Ser10 histone phosphorylation in neurons of the the sensorimotor corex and midbrain reticular formation were studied 24 h, 2 weeks, and 2 months after exposure of rats differing by the nervous system excitability. Rats with high excitability threshold exhibited higher basal level of H3Ser10 histone phosphorylation in the midbrain reticular formation neurons than rats with low excitability threshold. The sensorimotor cortical neurons of the two strains did not differ by this parameter.

Effect of chronic emotional and pain stress on histone H3 phosphorylation in the hippocampus of rat strains with different excitability of the nervous system.

Long-term effects of chronic emotional and pain stress on histone H3 phosphorylation by serine 10 in hippocampal CA3 neurons were examined 24 h, 2 weeks, and 2 months after termination of the stress procedure in 2 rat strains differing by excitability of the nervous system. The low excitable rats with high threshold (HT) of excitability were characterized by a high baseline level of histone H3 phosphorylation in comparison with the high excitable rats with low threshold (LT) of excitability. The long-term emotional and pain stress significantly changed the number of positive immune cells in highly excitable rats: this parameter increased in 24 h and 2 weeks after the stress, but returned to the control level in 2 months.

Effect of long-term mental and pain stress on the dynamics of H4 histone acetylation in hippocampal neurons of rats with different levels of nervous system excitability.

Priority data on specific effect of long-term mental and pain stress on the dynamics of H4 histone acetylation in the pyramidal neuron nuclei of the hippocampal CA3 field in rats selected by the nervous system excitability were obtained using a comparative genetic method. The congruency of long-term post-stress modification of H4 histone acetylation in neurons of rats with high threshold excitability and behavioral changes intrinsic of these rats suggest that increased acetylation of H4 histone together with changes in heterochromatin conformation play a triggering role in long-term modifications of genome expression underlying the pathogenesis of posttraumatic stress disorders and other psychogenias.

Effect of prolonged emotional and pain stress on the content of methylcytosine-binding protein MeCP2 in nuclei of hippocampal neurons in rats with different excitability of the nervous system.

In rats with low excitability threshold of the nervous system demonstrating significant and persistent behavioral disorders under stress conditions, the content of methylcytosine-binding protein MeCP2 in neuronal nuclei of hippocampal field CA3 decreased over 2 weeks after long-term emotional and pain stress. It was hypothesized that protein MeCP2 triggers epigenetic changes in DNA that underlie "stress memory".

Vagal stimulation modifies parameters of heterochromatin in the nuclei of vagosolitary complex neurons of medulla oblongata in rats.

New data were obtained on modification of heterochromatin parameters in the nuclei of medulla oblongata neurons in Wistar rats after stimulation of the vagus nerve: decrease in the area of heterochromatin regions and redistribution of chromocenters within the neuronal nuclear system. It was concluded that realization of the viscero-visceral reflex is associated with rearrangement of chromatin in neurons involved in transmission of the corresponding information.