Effects of Peripheral Neurotensin on Appetite Regulation and Its Role in Gastric Bypass Surgery.

Neurotensin (NT) is a peptide expressed in the brain and in the gastrointestinal tract. Brain NT inhibits food intake, but the effects of peripheral NT are less investigated. In this study, peripheral NT decreased food intake in both mice and rats, which was abolished by a NT antagonist.

Neuroglobin over expressing mice: expression pattern and effect on brain ischemic infarct size.

Background: Stroke is a major cause of death and severe disability, but effective treatments are limited. Neuroglobin, a neuronal heme-globin, has been advocated as a novel pharmacological target in combating stroke and neurodegenerative disorders based on cytoprotective properties. Using thoroughly validated antibodies and oligos, we give a detailed brain anatomical characterization of transgenic mice over expressing Neuroglobin.

Effects of buprenorphine and meloxicam analgesia on induced cerebral ischemia in C57BL/6 male mice.

Laboratory mice constitute an extensively used model to study the pathologic and functional outcomes of cerebral ischemic stroke. The middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model requires surgical intervention, which potentially can result in postsurgical pain and stress. In the present study, we investigated whether buprenorphine and meloxicam, at clinically relevant doses provided pain relief without altering infarct volume in male C57BL/6 mice.

Reduced infarct size in neuroglobin-null mice after experimental stroke in vivo.

Background: Neuroglobin is considered to be a novel important pharmacological target in combating stroke and neurodegenerative disorders, although the mechanism by which this protection is accomplished remains an enigma. We hypothesized that if neuroglobin is directly involved in neuroprotection, then permanent cerebral ischemia would lead to larger infarct volumes in neuroglobin-null mice than in wild-type mice.

Methods: Using neuroglobin-null mice, we estimated the infarct volume 24 hours after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion using Cavalieri's Principle, and compared the infarct volume in neuroglobin-null and wild-type mice.

Effect of permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion on Cytoglobin expression in the mouse brain.

Cytoglobin, a new member of the mammalian heme-globin family has been shown to bind oxygen and to have cell protective properties in vitro. Cytoglobin is specifically expressed in a subpopulation of brain neurons. Based on hypoxia-induced up regulation and proposed scavenging of reactive oxygen species Cytoglobin was suggested as a candidate for pharmaceutical stroke treatment.

Neuroglobin-deficiency exacerbates Hif1A and c-FOS response, but does not affect neuronal survival during severe hypoxia in vivo.

Background: Neuroglobin (Ngb), a neuron-specific globin that binds oxygen in vitro, has been proposed to play a key role in neuronal survival following hypoxic and ischemic insults in the brain. Here we address whether Ngb is required for neuronal survival following acute and prolonged hypoxia in mice genetically Ngb-deficient (Ngb-null). Further, to evaluate whether the lack of Ngb has an effect on hypoxia-dependent gene regulation, we performed a transcriptome-wide analysis of differential gene expression using Affymetrix Mouse Gene 1.

Vitamin C deficiency in early postnatal life impairs spatial memory and reduces the number of hippocampal neurons in guinea pigs.

Background: The neonatal brain is particularly vulnerable to imbalances in redox homeostasis because of rapid growth and immature antioxidant systems. Vitamin C has been shown to have a key function in the brain, and during states of deficiency it is able to retain higher concentrations of vitamin C than other organs. However, because neurons maintain one of the highest intracellular concentrations of vitamin C in the organism, the brain may still be more sensitive to deficiency despite these preventive measures.