Hypoxia-ischemia (HI) insults can have profound effects on the immature brain, impairing development and leaving survivors with lifelong physical and cognitive deficits. Improvements in neonatal care have resulted in more newborns surviving HI, but effective treatments for the long-term consequences of this disorder have yet to be established. Using the Rice-Vannucci model of hypoxia-ischemia at postnatal day (PND) 7, we investigated the effects of metformin and enriched rehabilitation on short and long-term motor and cognitive outcome in both male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. A battery of behavioural tests was used to assess early development and motor function from PND 8-21, while long-term motor and cognitive function was assessed from PND 49 onwards. Metformin, administered from PND 8-49, improved several aspects of early development that were compromised following HI (weight gain, neurological reflexes). However, it worsened motor impairments in the adhesive strip removal task and Montoya staircase. Enriched rehabilitation, beginning at PND 21, improved motor function in the adhesive strip removal task, open field and Montoya staircase. Additionally, it enhanced cognition in the Barnes maze and Morris water maze. Our results indicated that, despite early beneficial effects on development, metformin was not effective at improving long-term outcome. Enriched rehabilitation led to significant improvements in several aspects of motor and cognitive function, even when administered 2 weeks post-injury. This data suggests that enriched rehabilitation, but not metformin, may be a valuable intervention for treating behavioural impairments resulting from episodes of perinatal hypoxia-ischemia.

Inflammation has modulatory effects on the brain, particularly during development. These plastic changes can hold severe functional consequences. Perinatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI)-induced inflammation can result in cerebral palsy and cognitive impairment. In an attempt to reduce inflammation in the brain, we assessed the probiotic Bifidobacterium (B.) infantis as an HI intervention, using a rat model. Rat pups, developmentally equivalent to preterm infants, were exposed to chronic hypoxia from postnatal (PND) 3 –PND 10. Inflammation was assessed through hippocampal concentrations of the cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6). Tissue was collected from pups on PND 10 and analyzed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results showed lower IL-6 concentrations in hypoxic groups , regardless of B. infantis administration. Qualitative observations suggested poor gut health in association with hypoxia and probiotic exposure. These preliminary findings support the chronic hypoxia exposure model of HI and suggest the association with IL-6 and HI events is less straightforward than expected. / October 2016

Background: Perinatal ischemic brain injury leads to developmental disability (DD), which accounts for 30% of disabilities in children. Antepartum risk, or risk occurring prior to birth occurs in more than 90% of cases. This study investigated whether maternal ingestion of a natural health product (broccoli sprouts) would provide neuroprotection in an intrauterine model of HI. Methods: Intrauterine ischemia was induced by bilateral uterine artery ligation (BUAL) on E20 of gestation. Rats were fed broccoli sprouts (200 mg) from E15 until postnatal day 14 (PD14). Rat pups underwent neurobehavioural testing from birth to PD21 and were then sacrificed for neuropathologic assessment on PD21. Results: BUAL ligation resulted in growth restriction (IUGR) of the fetuses, which persisted throughout the study (p < 0.001). Reflex testing indicated IUGR pups were developmentally delayed compared to controls (p < 0.001). Open field testing on PD21 indicated hyperactivity in IUGR animals compared to controls (p < 0.001). Histological assessment showed a reduction in pyramidal cells in CA1 and CA3 of IUGR hippocampi and in myelin basic protein (MBP) immunohistochemistry signal. Broccoli sprout supplementation improved some reflex and behavioural measures, increased cell counts in CA1 and CA3 as well as MBP signal in growth restricted animals. Conclusions: Supplementation with broccoli sprouts during the last trimester of gestation and the first 2 weeks of life in the rat lessened the effects of chronic intra-uterine ischemia. These findings suggest a novel approach to the prevention of DD associated with perinatal HI.

No description available.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of South Florida, 2008. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2006. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Chiu, Wui Man. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 107-128). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / 中文摘要 --- p.iv / Acknowledgements --- p.vi / Publications --- p.viii / Table of Contents --- p.ix / List of Tables --- p.xiv / List of Figures --- p.xv / List of Abbreviations --- p.xviii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in human infants --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Incidence --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Biphasic development of HI brain damage --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2.1 --- Initiating mechanism: energy failure in immature brain --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.2.2 --- Biochemical cascades --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.2.2.1 --- Excitatory amino acid receptor activation by glutamate --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.2.2.2 --- Intracellular calcium accumulation --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.2.2.3 --- Formation of free radicals --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.2.2.3.1 --- Reactive oxygen species (ROS) --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.2.2.3.2 --- Nitric oxide (NO) --- p.6 / Chapter 1.1.2.3 --- Release of inflammatory mediators --- p.6 / Chapter 1.1.2.4 --- Mitochondrial dysfunction --- p.7 / Chapter 1.1.2.5 --- Final path to death: necrosis or apoptosis --- p.8 / Chapter 1.1.2.6 --- Ways to change: neuronal survival and proliferation signaling --- p.8 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Interventions for neonatal hypoxia-ischemia --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2 --- Animal models mimicking hypoxia-ischemia brain injury --- p.12 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Comparisons of animal models of hypoxia-ischemia --- p.12 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Development of neonatal rat model with hypoxic-ischemic damage --- p.14 / Chapter 1.3 --- Neural stem/progenitor cells --- p.15 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Effect of hypoxic-ischemia on neural stem/progenitor cells --- p.17 / Chapter 1.4 --- Thrombopoietin --- p.18 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Objectives --- p.23 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Materials and Methodology --- p.24 / Chapter 3.1 --- Establishment of neonatal rat model of HI brain damage and effects of TPO on neural protection --- p.24 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Animal protocols --- p.24 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Induction of HI brain damage in neonatal rats --- p.24 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Treatment with TPO --- p.25 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Sacrifice of rats --- p.25 / Chapter 3.1.5 --- Read-out measurements --- p.26 / Chapter 3.1.5.1 --- Brain weight --- p.26 / Chapter 3.1.5.2 --- Gross injury assessment of the right hemisphere --- p.26 / Chapter 3.1.5.3 --- Histology --- p.27 / Chapter 3.1.5.4 --- Blood cell count --- p.27 / Chapter 3.1.5.6 --- Functional assessments --- p.28 / Chapter 3.1.5.6.1 --- Grip traction test --- p.28 / Chapter 3.1.5.6.2 --- Elevated body swing test --- p.28 / Chapter 3.1.5.7 --- Statistical analysis --- p.28 / Chapter 3.2 --- Establishment of in vitro model of primary mouse NSPs and the effect of TPO on their proliferation --- p.29 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Mouse embryo dissection for the extraction of NSP --- p.29 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Culturing of NSP --- p.30 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Immunofluorescence staining for stem cell markers --- p.31 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Neurosphere assay with different combinations of mitogens --- p.31 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Neurosphere assay with different concentrations of TPO --- p.32 / Chapter 3.2.6 --- Neurosphere assay under hypoxia --- p.32 / Chapter 3.2.7 --- Statistical analysis --- p.33 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Effects of thrombopoietin on neonatal rat models of hypoxia-ischemia brain damage --- p.39 / Chapter 4.1 --- Summary of experimental settings --- p.39 / Chapter 4.2 --- Results --- p.39 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Mortality --- p.39 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Effects of TPO on p7 mild damage model 1 week post-surgery --- p.40 / Chapter 4.2.2.1 --- Body and brain weights --- p.40 / Chapter 4.2.2.2 --- Gross injury score --- p.41 / Chapter 4.2.2.3 --- Cortex and hippocampus area --- p.41 / Chapter 4.2.2.4 --- Blood cell counts --- p.42 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Effects of TPO on p7 severe damage model 1 week post-surgery --- p.43 / Chapter 4.2.3.1 --- Body and brain weights --- p.43 / Chapter 4.2.3.2 --- Gross injury score --- p.43 / Chapter 4.2.3.3 --- Cortex area --- p.44 / Chapter 4.2.3.4 --- Blood cell counts --- p.44 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Effects of TPO on p7 severe damage model 3 week post-surgery --- p.45 / Chapter 4.2.4.1 --- Body and brain weights --- p.45 / Chapter 4.2.4.2 --- Gross injury score --- p.46 / Chapter 4.2.4.3 --- Blood cell counts --- p.46 / Chapter 4.2.4.4 --- Functional outcomes --- p.46 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Effects of TPO on pl4 severe damage model 1 week post-surgery --- p.47 / Chapter 4.2.5.1 --- Body and brain weights --- p.47 / Chapter 4.2.5.2 --- Gross injury score --- p.48 / Chapter 4.2.5.3 --- Cortex area --- p.48 / Chapter 4.2.5.4 --- Blood cell counts --- p.49 / Chapter 4.3 --- Discussion --- p.49 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Effects of thrombopoietin on the proliferation of primary mouse neural stem/ progenitor cells in culture --- p.83 / Chapter 5.1 --- Summary of experimental settings --- p.83 / Chapter 5.2 --- Results --- p.83 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Effect of EGF or bFGF withdrawal on NSP proliferation --- p.84 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Dose effect of TPO treatment on NSP proliferation --- p.85 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Effect of hypoxia --- p.85 / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Effect of TPO treatment in combination with hypoxia --- p.86 / Chapter 5.2.5 --- Detection of neural progenitor cell marker --- p.87 / Chapter 5.3 --- Discussion --- p.88 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- General discussion --- p.101 / Bibliography --- p.106

No description available.

Adaptation to chronic hypoxia increases myocardial resistance to acute ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, similarly to application of exogenous erythropoietin (EPO). Nevertheless, it is not known if EPO induced by chronic hypoxia plays a role in its cardioprotective mechanism. The aim of this study was to find out if protective effect of exogenous EPO adds up to protection offered by chronic hypoxia. Adult male mice (ICR) were adapted to intermittent hypobaric hypoxia 8 hours per day, 5 days per week for 5 weeks. The degree of hypoxia corresponded to 7000 metres. Control animals were housed for the same time in normoxic environment. Resistance to I/R injury was assessed according to size of myocardial infarction induced by 45-min global ischemia and 1-h reperfusion of the heart in vitro. Animals were treated 24 h before the experiment with 200 or 5000 U/kg EPO. Treatment with 200 U/kg EPO was sufficient to significantly limit infarct size in normoxic animals (33,56 ± 2,93 % vs. 25,71 ± 2,29 %). Hypoxic adaptation decreased infarct area to 23,49 ± 2,30%, but additive effect of EPO in hypoxic group was not detected. The results indicate that exogenous EPO employs the same cardioprotective mechanisms as adaptation to chronic intermittent hypoxia. Preliminary results indicate that repeated application of EPO...

A hipóxia-isquemia neonatal (HI) faz parte da etiologia de diversas patologias neurológicas e é causa de graves sequelas. Os mecanismos patofisiológicos dessa lesão começam com o insulto imediato após a HI e se estendem por dias ou semanas, pelo aumento da liberação de espécies reativas de oxigênio associada a redução da defesas anti-oxidantes e reação glial, sendo a lesão secundária parte crucial no processo que culmina no dano final. A acetilcolina (ACh) é um neurotransmissor do sistema nervoso central (SNC) que parece ter uma importante ação neuroprotetora após a HI. A acetilcolinaesterase (AChE) é responsável pela degradação da ACh, inibidores dessa enzima vêm sendo utilizados para o tratamento de danos neurológicos. Sua ação positiva sobre a HI foi demonstrada em estudos realizados em nosso laboratório, onde a administração do extrato de Huperzia quadrifariata (inibidor de AChE) reduziu os déficits cognitivos e histológicos causados por essa lesão Para avaliar os efeitos das administrações pré e pós-hipóxia de galantamina, inibidor da AChE, no modelo de HI perinatal, ratos Wistar no 7º dia de vida pós-natal (DPN7) foram submetidos à combinação da oclusão unilateral da artéria carótida direita e exposição a uma atmosfera hipóxica (8% de O2) durante 60 minutos. Foram aplicadas injeções intraperitoniais de salina para os grupos Sham e HI+Salina (HIS) e de galantamina nos grupos HI+Galantamina 5 mg/kg pré-hipóxia (HIG5-Pré), HI+Galantamina 10 mg/kg pré-hipóxia (HIG10-Pré), HI+Galantamina 5 mg/kg pós-hipóxia (HIG5-Pós) e HI+Galantamina 10 mg/kg pós-hipóxia (HIG10-Pós). Os grupos Pré receberam galantamina imediatamente antes da hipóxia e os grupos Pós nos intervalos de 1, 24, 48 e 72 horas após a cirurgia. No DPN45 foi feita a análise do volume das estruturas encefálicas que demonstrou a redução do volume do hipocampo do grupo HIS em relação ao Sham e uma prevenção desse efeito no grupo HIG10-Pré, mas não nos demais grupos. Análises bioquímicas foram feitas no hipocampo ipsilesional 24 horas após a lesão e revelaram: através da citometria de fluxo uma redução na sobrevivência de neurônios no grupo HIS em relação ao Sham que foi prevenida no grupo HIG10-Pré; através de ELISA uma hipertrofia dos astrócitos no grupo HIS que foi revertida no grupo HIG10-Pré e um aumento na atividade da enzima anti-oxidante catalase. O tratamento pré-hipóxia com galantamina foi capaz de prevenir os déficits histológicos, aumentar a sobrevivência celular, reduzir a reação astrocitária e aumentar a atividade anti-oxidante em ratos submetidos à HI. / Neonatal hypoxia ischemia (HI) has a role in etiology of several neurological pathologies and causes severe sequelae. The pathophysiological mechanisms of this lesion start immediately after HI and last for days or weeks, with the secondary injury being a crucial part the process that culminates in the final damage. Acetylcholine (ACh) is a neurotransmitter of the central nervous system that seems to have an important neuroprotective action after HI. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) degradates ACh and inhibitors of this enzyme have been used to treat neurological damage. Its positive action on HI has been demonstrated in studies performed in our laboratory, where the administration of the alkaloid extract of Huperzia quadrifariata (An inhibitor of AChE) reduced the cognitive and histological deficits caused by this lesion. To evaluate the effects of the pre and post-hypoxia administrations of galantamine, a cholinesterase inhibitor, in the model oh perinatal HI, Wistar rats in the post-natal day 7 (PND7) were subjected to a combination of unilateral occlusion of the right charotid artery and of exposure to a hypoxic exposure (8% O2) for 60 minutes. Intraperitoneal injections of saline in the groups Sham anf HI+Saline (HIS) and of galantamine in the groups HI+Galantamine 5 mg/kg pre-hypoxia (HIG5-Pre), HI+Galantamine 10 mg/kg pre-hypoxia (HIG10-Pre), HI+Galantamine 5 mg/kg post-hypoxia (HIG5-Post) and HI+Galantamine 10 mg/kg post-hypoxia (HIG5-Post). The Pre groups received galantamine immediately before hypoxia and the Post groups in the intervals of 1, 24, 48 and 72 hours after HI. On PND45 the analysis of the volume of brain structures showed a reduction of the volume of the ipsilesional hippocampus in the HIS group when compared to the sham and a prevention of this effect in the HIG10-Pre, but not in any other group. Biochemical analysis was performed in the ipsilesional hippocampus 24 hours after the lesion and revealed: a reduction of the number of surviving neurons in the HIS group when compared to the Sham that was prevented in the HIG10-Pre; a hypertrophy of the astrocytes in the HIS group that was prevented in the HIG10-Pre group and an increase in the activity of the anti-oxidant enzyme catalase in the HIG10-Pre group. The treatment with galantamine was able to prevent the histological deficits, increase the survival of neurons, reduce astrocytic reaction and increase the anti-oxidant activity in rats submitted to HI.