Document Detail


Caspase-3 mediates hippocampal apoptosis in pneumococcal meningitis.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  12677451     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Bacterial meningitis causes neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, which is associated with learning and memory impairments after cured disease. The execution of the apoptotic program involves pathways that converge on activation of caspase-3, which is required for morphological changes associated with apoptosis. Here, the time course and the role of caspase-3 in neuronal apoptosis was assessed in an infant rat model of pneumococcal meningitis. During clinically asymptotic meningitis (0-12 h after infection), only minor apoptotic damage to the dentate gyrus was observed, while the acute phase (18-24 h) was characterized by a massive increase of apoptotic cells, which peaked at 36 h. In the subacute phase of the disease (36-72 h), the number of apoptotic cells decreased to control levels. Enzymatic caspase-3 activity was significantly increased in hippocampal tissue of infected animals compared to controls at 22 h. The activated enzyme was localized to immature cells of the dentate gyrus, and in vivo activity was evidenced by cleavage of the amyloid-beta precursor protein. Intracisternal administration of the caspase-3-specific inhibitor Ac-DEVD-CHO significantly reduced apoptosis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. In contrast to a study where the decrease of hippocampal apoptosis after administration of a pan-caspase inhibitor was due to downmodulation of the inflammatory response, our data demonstrate that specific inhibition of caspase-3 did not affect inflammation assessed by TNF-alpha and IL-1beta concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid space. Taken together, the present results identify caspase-3 as a key effector of neuronal apoptosis in pneumococcal meningitis.
Authors:
Christian Gianinazzi; Denis Grandgirard; Hans Imboden; Lotti Egger; Damian N Meli; Yoeng-Delphine Bifrare; Philipp C Joss; Martin G Täuber; Christoph Borner; Stephen L Leib
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.     Date:  2003-02-12
Journal Detail:
Title:  Acta neuropathologica     Volume:  105     ISSN:  0001-6322     ISO Abbreviation:  Acta Neuropathol.     Publication Date:  2003 May 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2003-04-04     Completed Date:  2003-06-06     Revised Date:  2007-11-14    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0412041     Medline TA:  Acta Neuropathol     Country:  Germany    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  499-507     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Friedbühlstrasse 51, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Amyloid beta-Protein / metabolism
Animals
Apoptosis*
Blotting, Western
Body Weight
Caspase 3
Caspases / physiology*
Cerebral Cortex / metabolism
Coumarins / administration & dosage
Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / administration & dosage
DNA Fragmentation
Disease Models, Animal
Hippocampus / enzymology,  pathology*
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
In Situ Nick-End Labeling / methods
Interleukin-1
Meningitis, Pneumococcal / enzymology,  metabolism,  pathology*
Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
Neurons / physiology
Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
Oligopeptides / administration & dosage
Pneumococcal Infections
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Time Factors
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / drug effects
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
NS-35902/NS/NINDS NIH HHS
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Ac-aspartyl-glutamyl-valyl-aspartyl-aminomethylcoumarin; 0/Amyloid beta-Protein; 0/Coumarins; 0/Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; 0/Interleukin-1; 0/Nerve Tissue Proteins; 0/Nuclear Proteins; 0/Oligopeptides; 0/Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; 0/neugrin; EC 3.4.22.-/CASP3 protein, human; EC 3.4.22.-/Casp3 protein, rat; EC 3.4.22.-/Caspase 3; EC 3.4.22.-/Caspases

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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