The scratch test is used as an experimental in vitro model of mechanical damage to primary neuronal cultures to study the mechanisms of cell death in damaged areas. The involvement of NMDA receptors in processes leading to delayed neuronal death, due to calcium dysregulation and synchronous mitochondrial depolarization, has been previously demonstrated. In this study, we explored the neuroregenerative potential of Pro-Gly-Pro (PGP)-an endogenous regulatory peptide with neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties and a mild chemoattractant effect.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIt is considered that glutamate excitotoxicity may be a major factor in the pathological death of neurons and mediate the development of neurodegenerative diseases in humans. Here, we show that isoliquiritigenin (ILG) at a concentration of 0.5-5 µM protects primary neuroglial cell culture from glutamate-induced death (glutamate 100 µM).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn vitro models of traumatic brain injury (TBI) help to elucidate the pathological mechanisms responsible for cell dysfunction and death. To simulate in vitro the mechanical brain trauma, primary neuroglial cultures were scratched during different periods of network formation. Fluorescence microscopy was used to measure changes in intracellular free Ca concentration ([Ca]) and mitochondrial potential (ΔΨm) a few minutes later and on days 3 and 7 after scratching.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj
May 2021
Background: Disorders of mitochondrial Ca homeostasis play a key role in the glutamate excitotoxicity of brain neurons. DS16570511 (DS) is a new penetrating inhibitor of mitochondrial Ca uniporter complex (MCUC). The paper examines the effects of DS on the cultivated cortical neurons and isolated mitochondria of the rat brain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGlutamate (Glu) excitotoxicity, which accompanies brain ischemia or traumatic brain injury, is the leading mechanism of neuronal death. In the present work, we studied the effects of the peptides HFRWPGP (ACTHPGP), KKRRPG, and PyrRP on the survival of cultured cortical neurons on the background of excitotoxic effect of Glu (100 µM). Biochemical (MTT/WST) and morphometric analyzes showed that, depending on the dose, ACTHPGP and KKRRPGP protect neurons from the cells death, while PyrRP, conversely, enhances it.
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