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Systemic Vitamin D3 Attenuated Oxidative Injuries in the Locus Coeruleus of Rat Brain
Author(s) -
CHEN KUENBOR,
LIN ANYA MAANYUH,
CHIU TSAIHSIEN
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2003.tb07539.x
Subject(s) - locus coeruleus , oxidative stress , endocrinology , neurotoxicity , medicine , tunel assay , ascorbic acid , chemistry , lipid peroxidation , vitamin , pharmacology , apoptosis , central nervous system , toxicity , biochemistry , food science
A bstract : Iron‐induced oxidative injuries in locus coeruleus (LC), a major source of noradrenergic projections in the central nervous system (CNS), were investigated in chloral‐hydrate anesthetized rats. Local infusion of iron dose‐dependently elevated lipid peroxidation of iron‐infused LC seven days after infusion. At the same time, norepinephrine content in the hippocampus ipsilateral to the iron‐infused LC was decreased in a concentration‐dependent manner. Our immunostaining study demonstrated reduced tyrosine hydroxylase‐positive neurons in the iron‐infused LC, indicating a reduction of neuron number by iron infusion. The involvement of apoptosis in iron‐induced oxidative injuries was studied. An abrupt increase in cytosolic cytochrome c content was demonstrated in the infused LC 48 hours after iron infusion. TUNEL‐positive cells, an indication of apoptosis, were detected in the iron‐infused LC. In an attempt to prevent iron‐induced neurotoxicity, vitamin D3, an active metabolite of vitamin D, was systemically administered. Iron‐induced increases in cytosolic cytochrome c and TUNEL‐positive cells were reduced by this treatment. Furthermore, systemic administration of vitamin D3 attenuated iron‐induced oxidative injuries in the infused LC. Our data suggest that local infusion of iron in LC induced oxidative stress and resulted in programmed cell death in the LC‐hippocampal noradrenergic system. Furthermore, vitamin D3 may be neuroprotective and therapeutic in attenuating iron‐induced neurotoxicity in CNS.