Caspase-3-dependent neuronal death in the hippocampus following kainic acid treatment

Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 1999 Jun 18;70(1):159-63. doi: 10.1016/s0169-328x(99)00143-6.

Abstract

In this study, we examined the levels of activated caspase-3 in the kainic acid (KA) model of hippocampal degeneration in both sensitive (FVB/N) and resistant (129/SvEMS) strains of mice. At 30 h, 2 and 4 days following KA administration, animals were sacrificed and brains examined for pyknosis, TUNEL labeling, and activated caspase-3 immunoreactivity. Catalytically active caspase-3 was first detected 30 h following KA treatment in the sensitive, FVB/N strain. This was 18 h before the appearance of pyknosis or TUNEL labeling. The expression of activated caspase-3 continues up to 4 days post-injection. No activated caspase-3 immunoreactivity was detected in the resistant, 129/SvEMS strain, neither was there evidence of pyknosis or TUNEL staining. This suggests that activation of caspase-3 is a necessary component of KA-induced cell death.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Caspase 3
  • Caspases / physiology*
  • Drug Resistance
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / pharmacology
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / toxicity*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Hippocampus / drug effects*
  • Hippocampus / pathology
  • In Situ Nick-End Labeling
  • Kainic Acid / pharmacology
  • Kainic Acid / toxicity*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / physiology*
  • Neurons / pathology*
  • Seizures / chemically induced
  • Seizures / enzymology
  • Seizures / pathology

Substances

  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Casp3 protein, mouse
  • Caspase 3
  • Caspases
  • Kainic Acid