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Survival‐promoting activity of nimodipine and nifedipine in rat motoneurons: implications of an intrinsic calcium toxicity in motoneurons
Author(s) -
Arakawa Yoshihiro,
Nishijima Chiaki,
Shimizu Nao,
Urushidani Tetsuro
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1046/j.1471-4159.2002.01126.x
Subject(s) - nimodipine , nifedipine , neurotrophic factors , calcium , depolarization , toxicity , calcium channel , pharmacology , neurotrophin , neuroscience , chemistry , endocrinology , medicine , biology , receptor
L‐type calcium channel antagonists, nimodipine and nifedipine, were tested for effects on the survival of purified rat motoneurons in culture. They showed significant activity, with maximum survival at 30 µ m after 3 days in culture as high as 75%, which was comparable to the maximum effect obtained with brain‐derived neurotrophic factor, a potent neurotrophic factor for rat motoneurons. It was also found that depolarizing conditions with a high potassium concentration (30 m m ) were toxic to motoneurons. This toxicity was blocked by co‐treatment with nimodipine. These results implicate a pre‐existing calcium burden through calcium channels in motoneurons; they may offer further insights into understanding the selective death of motoneurons and have therapeutic implications in amyotrophic lateral screlosis.