Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:1.17.3.2 (xanthine oxidase)
 8,383 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Glutamate neurotoxicity in brain is normally prevented by rapid uptake of glutamate by astrocytes. Increased expression of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) can increase resistance to cerebral ischemia and other oxidative insults, but the cellular mechanisms by which this occurs are not well established. Here we examine whether increased SOD1 expression can attenuate inhibition of astrocyte glutamate uptake by reactive oxygen species. Primary cortical astrocyte cultures were prepared from transgenic mice that overexpress human SOD1 and from nontransgenic littermate controls. Glutamate uptake was assessed after exposure of these cultures to xanthine oxidase plus hypoxanthine, an extracellular superoxide generating system, or to menadione, which generates superoxide in the cytosol. These treatments produced dose-dependent reductions in astrocyte glutamate uptake, and the reductions were significantly attenuated in the SOD1 transgenic astrocytes. A specific effect of reactive oxygen species on glutamate transporters was suggested by the much smaller inhibitory effects of xanthine oxidase/hypoxanthine and menadione on GABA uptake than on glutamate uptake. These findings suggest that the cerebroprotective effects of increased SOD1 expression during cerebral ischemia-reperfusion could be mediated in part by astrocyte glutamate transport.
 ...
PMID:Overexpression of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase attenuates oxidative inhibition of astrocyte glutamate uptake. 1093 74

Time-dependent changes in the activities of antioxidant enzymes and an oxidant enzyme, xanthine oxidase (XO), were detected in primary and peri-ischaemic brain regions during permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO) in rats. There were no changes in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities after 3 h of MCAO, whereas antioxidant enzyme activities decreased significantly in ischaemic brain areas following 24 h of ischaemia. After 48 h, the enzyme activities returned to the baseline but then a further increase was observed in ischaemic brain areas by 72 h post-ischaemia. Normally, XO exists as a dehydrogenase (XD), but it is converted to XO which contributes to injury in some ischaemic tissues. The XO activity increased slightly at 3 h after ischaemia, but after 24 h of ischaemia it returned to the baseline and then remained relatively unchanged in ischaemic areas. Pretreatment with allopurinol before ischaemia prevented changes in SOD and CAT activities and attenuated brain oedema during 24 h of ischaemia. Neither XO nor XD activity changed in allopurinol-treated rats at the times of ischaemia. These results indicated that ischaemic brain tissue remained vulnerable to free radical damage for as long as 48 h after ischaemia, and XO was probably not an important source of free radicals in cerebral ischaemia.
 ...
PMID:Time-dependent changes in superoxide dismutase, catalase, xanthine dehydrogenase and oxidase activities in focal cerebral ischaemia. 1096 80

Free radicals are highly reactive molecules implicated in the pathology of traumatic brain injury and cerebral ischemia, through a mechanism known as oxidative stress. After brain injury, reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species may be generated through several different cellular pathways, including calcium activation of phospholipases, nitric oxide synthase, xanthine oxidase, the Fenton and Haber-Weiss reactions, by inflammatory cells. If cellular defense systems are weakened, increased production of free radicals will lead to oxidation of lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, which may alter cellular function in a critical way. The study of each of these pathways may be complex and laborious since free radicals are extremely short-lived. Recently, genetic manipulation of wild-type animals has yielded species that over- or under-express genes such as, copper-zinc superoxide dismutase, manganese superoxide dismutase, nitric oxide synthase, and the Bcl-2 protein. The introduction of the species has improved the understanding of oxidative stress. We conclude here that substantial experimental data links oxidative stress with other pathogenic mechanisms such as excitotoxicity, calcium overload, mitochondrial cytochrome c release, caspase activation, and apoptosis in central nervous system (CNS) trauma and ischemia, and that utilization of genetically manipulated animals offers a unique possibility to elucidate the role of free radicals in CNS injury in a molecular fashion.
 ...
PMID:Free radical pathways in CNS injury. 1106 54

The bioactivity of 3-methyl-1-phenyl-pyrazolin-5-one (MCI-186) was examined based on histochemical changes in drastic global ischemic rat brains. Rats with mean arterial blood pressure reduction were subjected to 60 min cerebral ischemia/80 min reperfusion. Infusion of MCI-186 at 3.0 mg/Kg reduced brain infarction from 21 +/- 4% (saline control, n= 15) to 11 +/- 3% (n=16, p<0.05). By comparison, infusion of up to 20 mg/Kg propyl galalate (PG)--a well documented antioxidant--produced an infarct percentage of 14 +/- 5% (n=8), close to the saline control. Biochemically, the neuroprotective effect of MCI-186 was demonstrated by diminishing the release of creatine kinase (CK) in serum from 3363 +/- 608 U/L (n=14) in saline control to 1989 +/- 293 U/L (n= 15) in MCI group (p<0.05), while PG did not lower the activity of CK significantly. MCI-186 behaves as a free radical scavenger by suppressing the formation of superoxide anion in xanthine oxidase (XO)-hypoxanthine (HP) system (p<0.05). Our data supported our contention that MCI-186 has potent anti-stroke effect with antioxidant activities.
 ...
PMID:MCI-186: further histochemical and biochemical evidence of neuroprotection. 1106 85

In this experimental study, the neuroprotective effect of the xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol on focal cerebral ischaemia created by permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was investigated. Using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), we measured hypoxanthine, xanthine, and uric acid (UA) levels in rabbit brains following focal cerebral ischaemia. Rabbits were randomly and blindly assigned into four groups of eight animals each. The control groups received 2% carboxymethylcellulose solution, while 10% allopurinol 150 mg/kg was given to the treatment group 1 h before ischaemia. Each group was subdivided into two groups which were sacrificed 4 h or 24 h after ischaemia, respectively. UA and xanthine values of the rabbits in the control groups were quite high at both times and highest after 24 h, particularly in the centre of the ischaemia. A significant decrease in UA and xanthine values was observed in rabbits that were given allopurinol (P<0.05). According to our results, it was concluded that allopurinol pretreatment protects neural tissue in the early period after arterial occlusion and prevents cerebral injury in the late period, especially in the perifocal area, possibly by preventing the formation of free radicals with xanthine oxidase inhibition.
 ...
PMID:The effect of allopurinol on focal cerebral ischaemia: an experimental study in rabbits. 1148 35

Oxidative stress is believed to be implicated in the pathogenesis of postischaemic cerebral injury. Many antioxidants were shown to be neuroprotective in experimental models of cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R). The present study was designed to investigate the potential protective effects of curcumin (CUR) against I/R insult in rat forebrain. The model adopted was that of surgically-induced forebrain ischaemia, performed by means of bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) for 1 h, followed by reperfusion for another 1h. The effects of a single i.p. dose of CUR (50, 100 or 200 mg kg(-1)), administered 0.5 h after the onset of ischaemia, were investigated by assessing oxidative stress-related biochemical parameters in rat forebrain. CUR, at the highest dose level (200 mg kg(-1)), decreased the I/R-induced elevated xanthine oxidase (XO) activity, superoxide anion (O(2)*(-)) production, malondialdehyde (MDA) level and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities. On the other hand, CUR did not affect the declined reduced glutathione (GSH) content due to I/R insult. Worth mentioning is that the activity of catalase (CAT) did not change in response to either I/R insult or drug treatment. In conclusion, CUR was found to protect rat forebrain against I/R insult. These protective effects may be attributed to its antioxidant properties and/or its inhibitory effects on xanthine dehydrogenase/xanthine oxidase (XD/XO) conversion and resultant O(2)*(-) production.
 ...
PMID:Protective effects of curcumin against ischaemia/reperfusion insult in rat forebrain. 1222 Sep 71

Astrocytes, the most abundant glial cell types in the brain, provide metabolic and trophic support to neurons and modulate synaptic activity. Accordingly, impairment in these astrocyte functions can critically influence neuronal survival. Recent studies show that astrocyte apoptosis may contribute to pathogenesis of many acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders, such as cerebral ischemia, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. We found that incubation of cultured rat astrocytes in a Ca(2+)-containing medium after exposure to a Ca(2+)-free medium causes an increase in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration followed by apoptosis, and that NF-kappa B, reactive oxygen species, and enzymes such as calpain, xanthine oxidase, calcineurin and caspase-3 are involved in reperfusion-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, we demonstrated that heat shock protein, mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase, phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase are target molecules for anti-apoptotic drugs. This review summarizes (1) astrocytic functions in neuroprotection, (2) current evidence of astrocyte apoptosis in both in vitro and in vivo studies including its molecular pathways such as Ca(2+) overload, oxidative stress, NF-kappa B activation, mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and protease activation, and (3) several drugs preventing astrocyte apoptosis. As a whole, this article provides new insights into the potential role of astrocytes as targets for neuroprotection. In addition, the advance in the knowledge of molecular mechanisms of astrocyte apoptosis may lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative disorders.
 ...
PMID:Astrocyte apoptosis: implications for neuroprotection. 1506 28

We examined the effects of acute hyperglycemia on the function of rabbit cerebral arteries in vitro. It was hypothesized that increased formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) could occur, which could explain how hyperglycemia aggravates certain pathologic situations such as cerebral ischemia. Three-millimeter basilar artery segments were incubated in either normoglycemic (NG, 5.5 mM D-glucose) or hyperglycemic (HG, 25 mM D-glucose) solution containing 3.10(-6) M indomethacin. After 90 minutes equilibration, a test (=T1) of relaxation to acetylcholine (Ach) at three concentrations was performed on histamine-precontracted segments. Three further identical tests were performed (T2-T4), after 30-minute rest periods. Ach responses in NG solution were stable, whereas those in HG solution, although greater at T1, fell progressively from one test to the next (P < 0.0001 versus NG), whereas nitroprusside responses did not change. In separate experiments, this time-dependent fall in Ach responses was significantly prevented by superoxide dismutase (SOD) plus catalase (P = 0.0003), but not by SOD alone. It was also significantly prevented by the NAD(P)H oxidase inhibitors diphenyleneiodonium (P = 0.020) and apocynin (P = 0.0179), but not by allopurinol (xanthine oxidase inhibitor). Control experiments with l-glucose ruled out a hyperosmotic or non-specific glucose effect. We conclude that, in HG solution in vitro, rapidly increasing ROS production largely derived from NAD(P)H oxidase reduced relaxation to acetylcholine. The rapidity of this effect suggests that the function of these arteries may be affected during brief periods of hyperglycemia in vivo.
 ...
PMID:Acetylcholine-induced relaxation of rabbit basilar artery in vitro is rapidly reduced by reactive oxygen species in acute hyperglycemia: role of NADPH oxidase. 1545 61

We conducted a Medline search for controlled studies evaluating currently available drugs for pharmacological neuroprotection. They had to be administered prior to transient global cerebral ischaemia without further non-pharmacological measures. We deliberately excluded focal ischaemia since its pathophysiology is substantially different from global ischaemia. A total of 45 articles conducted exclusively in laboratory animals met these criteria. The following classes of agents were evaluated: anaesthetics, GABAergic drugs, calcium-antagonists, anticonvulsives, sodium-channel blockers, potassium-channel activators, NMDA-receptor antagonists, hormones, vasodilators, dopamine- and alpha2-agonists, magnesium, xanthine oxidase- and cyclooxygenase inhibitors, a nootropic, a protease inhibitor, and immunosuppressants. Some of them were applied chronically and others administered via clinically impracticable routes. The available literature favours isoflurane, phenytoin, lamotrigine, magnesium, and potentially, nimodipine, and flunarizine. If factors like costs, toxicity, side effects, route and mode of application are considered, isoflurane and MgSO4 that have also been safely applied to patients with compromised left ventricular pump function are advantageous but their true role in human neuroprotection remains unclear.
 ...
PMID:A systematic review of currently available pharmacological neuroprotective agents as a sole intervention before anticipated or induced cardiac arrest. 1579 72

Ischemic stroke is caused by obstruction of blood flow to the brain, resulting in energy failure that initiates a complex series of metabolic events, ultimately causing neuronal death. One such critical metabolic event is the activation of phospholipase A2 (PLA2), resulting in hydrolysis of membrane phospholipids and release of free fatty acids including arachidonic acid, a metabolic precursor for important cell-signaling eicosanoids. PLA2 enzymes have been classified as calcium-dependent cytosolic (cPLA2) and secretory (sPLA2) and calcium-independent (iPLA2) forms. Cardiolipin hydrolysis by mitochondrial sPLA2 disrupts the mitochondrial respiratory chain and increases production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Oxidative metabolism of arachidonic acid also generates ROS. These two processes contribute to formation of lipid peroxides, which degrade to reactive aldehyde products (malondialdehyde, 4-hydroxynonenal, and acrolein) that covalently bind to proteins/nucleic acids, altering their function and causing cellular damage. Activation of PLA2 in cerebral ischemia has been shown while other studies have separately demonstrated increased lipid peroxidation. To the best of our knowledge no study has directly shown the role of PLA2 in lipid peroxidation in cerebral ischemia. To date, there are very limited data on PLA2 protein by Western blotting after cerebral ischemia, though some immunohistochemical studies (for cPLA2 and sPLA2) have been reported. Dissecting the contribution of PLA2 to lipid peroxidation in cerebral ischemia is challenging due to multiple forms of PLA2, cardiolipin hydrolysis, diverse sources of ROS arising from arachidonic acid metabolism, catecholamine autoxidation, xanthine oxidase activity, mitochondrial dysfunction, activated neutrophils coupled with NADPH oxidase activity, and lack of specific inhibitors. Although increased activity and expression of various PLA2 isoforms have been demonstrated in stroke, more studies are needed to clarify the cellular origin and localization of these isoforms in the brain, their responses in cerebral ischemic injury, and their role in oxidative stress.
 ...
PMID:Phospholipase A2, reactive oxygen species, and lipid peroxidation in cerebral ischemia. 1644 52


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next >>