Premium
Protective effect of thalidomide against N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate‐induced retinal neurotoxicity
Author(s) -
Takada Kazuhide,
Munemasa Yasunari,
Kuribayashi Junko,
Fujino Hiromi,
Kitaoka Yasushi
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/jnr.22698
Subject(s) - thalidomide , tunel assay , nmda receptor , neurotoxicity , pharmacology , apoptosis , inner nuclear layer , chemistry , tumor necrosis factor alpha , p38 mitogen activated protein kinases , western blot , terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase , endocrinology , biology , medicine , toxicity , retinal , biochemistry , kinase , protein kinase a , receptor , gene , multiple myeloma
Thalidomide, an inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) production, has been indicated to be useful for many inflammatory and oncogenic diseases. In the present study, we examined whether thalidomide (50 mg/kg/day, p.o.) has a protective effect against N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA)‐induced retinal neurotoxicity in rats. A morphometric analysis showed that systemic administration of thalidomide protects neural cells in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) in a dose‐dependent manner and significantly decreases the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase‐mediated dUTP nick‐end labeling (TUNEL)‐positive cells in GCL and in the inner nuclear layer (INL). ELISA showed that thalidomide significantly suppressed the elevation of TNF‐α 6 and 24 hr after an NMDA injection. Western blot analysis revealed a significant increase in nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) p65 level in the retinas treated with NMDA at 24 hr after the injection, but not at 6 or 72 hr. Furthermore, an increase in p‐JNK and p‐p38 levels was also observed in the retina after NMDA injection. Thalidomide suppressed the increased expressions of NF‐κB p65, p‐JNK, and p‐p38 after NMDA injection. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that thalidomide attenuated NF‐κB p65 immunoreactivity in the GCL induced by NMDA treatment. In the NMDA‐treated group, translocation of NF‐κB p65 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus was detected in TUNEL‐positive cells exposed to NMDA treatment. These results suggest new indications for thalidomide against neurodegenerative diseases. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.