gms | German Medical Science

GMS Journal for Medical Education

Gesellschaft für Medizinische Ausbildung (GMA)

ISSN 2366-5017

Perinatal asphyxia as the leading cause of death and brain injury of newborns: prognosis and neuroprotection of long-term outcomes

Abstract Special areas

  • corresponding author Mario Herrera-Marschitz - University of Chile, Medical Faculty, Programm of Molecular & Clinical Pharmacology, ICBM, Santiago, Chile
  • author Olga Golubnitchaja - University of Bonn, Dept. of Experimental Radiology, Bonn, Germany
  • author Diego Bustamante - University of Chile, Medical Faculty, Programm of Molecular & Clinical Pharmacology, ICBM, Santiago, Chile
  • author Paola Morales - University of Chile, Medical Faculty, Programm of Molecular & Clinical Pharmacology, ICBM, Santiago, Chile
  • author Verena Klawitter - University of Chile, Medical Faculty, Programm of Molecular & Clinical Pharmacology, ICBM, Santiago, Chile
  • author Jenny L. Fiedler - University of Chile, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory of Neurobiochemistry, Santiago, Chile
  • author Micaela Morelli - University of Cagliari, Dept. Toxicology, Cagliari, Italy
  • author Andrew Tasker - University of Prince Edward Island, Department of biomedical Sciences, Charlottetown, Canada
  • author Sonia Gomez-Urquijo - University of the Basque Country, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Spain
  • author Tomas Hökfelt - Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neuroscience, Stockholm, Schweden
  • author Michel Goiny - Karolinska Institutet, Dept. of Physiology & Pharmacology, Stockholm, Schweden

GMS Z Med Ausbild 2007;24(4):Doc173

Die elektronische Version dieses Artikels ist vollständig und ist verfügbar unter: http://www.egms.de/de/journals/zma/2007-24/zma000467.shtml

Eingereicht: 25. September 2007
Überarbeitet: 25. September 2007
Angenommen: 1. Oktober 2007
Veröffentlicht: 14. November 2007

© 2007 Herrera-Marschitz et al.
Dieser Artikel ist ein Open Access-Artikel und steht unter den Creative Commons Lizenzbedingungen (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.de). Er darf vervielfältigt, verbreitet und öffentlich zugänglich gemacht werden, vorausgesetzt dass Autor und Quelle genannt werden.


Gliederung

Abstract

Interruption of oxygen availability and re-oxygenation at birth implies a severe metabolic insult, affecting the development of the central nervous system (CNS), increasing its vulnerability to challenges occurring at adult stages. It has been reported that perinatal asphyxia produces regionally specific neuronal decrease and neurite atrophy in basal ganglia, and hippocampus. In hippocampus, a concomitant increase of neurogenesis and neurite hypertrophy has also been observed. The potential neuroprotection of nicotinamide, a non-selective inhibitor of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP-1), has been investigated, finding functional and morphological improvements when administered 24h after the insult (0.8 mmol/kg, i.p., 24, 48 and 72 h after birth.). The main effect of nicotinamide has been seen in neostriatum, preventing an asphyxia-induced decrease of the number of nNOS cells, and nNOS- and dopamine-like neurite atrophy. The present results support the idea that nicotinamide can prevent the effects elicited by a sustained energy-failure condition, as occurring during perinatal asphyxia, enlightening the enzyme PARP-1 as a novel target for neuronal protection. The support by FONDECYT, ICBM-Enlace, DAAD-CONICYT Programme-2007 grants is acknowledged.


Abstract

Interruption of oxygen availability and re-oxygenation at birth implies a severe metabolic insult, affecting the development of the central nervous system (CNS), increasing its vulnerability to challenges occurring at adult stages. It has been reported that perinatal asphyxia produces regionally specific neuronal decrease and neurite atrophy in basal ganglia, and hippocampus. In hippocampus, a concomitant increase of neurogenesis and neurite hypertrophy has also been observed. The potential neuroprotection of nicotinamide, a non-selective inhibitor of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP-1), has been investigated, finding functional and morphological improvements when administered 24h after the insult (0.8 mmol/kg, i.p., 24, 48 and 72 h after birth.). The main effect of nicotinamide has been seen in neostriatum, preventing an asphyxia-induced decrease of the number of nNOS cells, and nNOS- and dopamine-like neurite atrophy. The present results support the idea that nicotinamide can prevent the effects elicited by a sustained energy-failure condition, as occurring during perinatal asphyxia, enlightening the enzyme PARP-1 as a novel target for neuronal protection. The support by FONDECYT, ICBM-Enlace, DAAD-CONICYT Programme-2007 grants is acknowledged.