Journal of physiology and biochemistry
-
J. Physiol. Biochem. · Sep 2013
Effects of synthetic A3 adenosine receptor agonists on cell proliferation and viability are receptor independent at micromolar concentrations.
The question as to whether A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR) agonists, N (6)-(3-iodobenzyl)-adenosine-5'-N- methyluronamide (IB-MECA) and 2-chloro-N (6)-(3-iodobenzyl)-adenosine-5'-N-methyluronamide (Cl-IB-MECA), could exert cytotoxic effects at high concentrations with or without the involvement of A3AR has been a controversial issue for a long time. The initial findings suggesting that A3AR plays a crucial role in the induction of cell death upon treatment with micromolar concentrations of IB-MECA or Cl-IB-MECA were revised, however, the direct and unequivocal evidence is still missing. Therefore, the sensitivity of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with human recombinant A3AR (A3-CHO) and their counter partner wild-type CHO cells, which do not express any of adenosine receptors, to micromolar concentrations of IB-MECA and Cl-IB-MECA was studied. ⋯ IB-MECA induced cell death that exhibited apoptotic hallmarks. In general, the sensitivity of A3-CHO cells to micromolar concentrations of IB-MECA and Cl-IB-MECA was somewhat, but not significantly, higher than that observed in the CHO cells. These results strongly suggest that IB-MECA and Cl-IB-MECA exert cytotoxic effects at micromolar concentrations independently of A3AR expression.
-
J. Physiol. Biochem. · Sep 2013
Minocycline attenuates mechanical allodynia and expression of spinal NMDA receptor 1 subunit in rat neuropathic pain model.
Recent studies have indicated that minocycline, a microglia inhibitor, could potentially be used as an antinociceptive agent in pain management, although the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we investigated the extent to which minocycline could influence pain behavior in association with the expression of the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor 1 (NMDAR1) in a rat L5 spinal nerve ligation (SNL) model. ⋯ We also observed that the expression of NMDAR1 was increased in the spinal dorsal horn at 8 days after SNL, which could be partly inhibited through the intrathecal injection of minocycline. These findings suggest that the attenuation of allodynia in the SNL model following minocycline administration might be associated with the inhibited expression of NMDAR1 and, therefore, might play an important role in the minocycline-mediated antinociception.
-
J. Physiol. Biochem. · Sep 2013
The protective effects of Prunus armeniaca L (apricot) against methotrexate-induced oxidative damage and apoptosis in rat kidney.
This study was conducted to evaluate a possible protective role of apricot in apoptotic cell death induced by methotrexate (MTX) and renal damage by different histological and biochemical parameters. Twenty-eight rats were divided into four groups, control, apricot, methotrexate, and apricot + methotrexate. Methotrexate induced renal failure, as shown by significant serum creatinine and urea elevation. ⋯ Also, it was determined that exposure to methotrexate leads to significant histological damage in kidney tissue such as glomerulosclerosis and apoptosis. On the other hand, these effects can be eliminated with apricot diet. These data indicate that apricot may be useful in preventing undesirable effects of MTX such as nephrotoxicity.