Abstract
It is well-known that transient cerebral ischemia causes selective loss of neurons in the hippocampus, striatum and cortical layers (14,24). It has been suggested that the difference in nerve cell vulnerability to ischemic damage is probably due to differences in the nature of their transmitters (14,22,27). For instances, GABAergic neurons in the striatum are more susceptible to transient ischemia than the cholinergic neurons (7) and dopaminergic neurons are more sensitive to ischemic damage than the GABAergic neurons in the gerbil brain (26). Since taurine has been demonstrated to have protective effects on the photoreceptor in the cat (12) and on the light-induced disruption of isolated frog rod outer segments (23), we decided to investigate the influence of transient cerebral ischemia on the taurine neurons in rat hippocampus. Taurine neurons were identified immunocytochemically with antibodies against cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme of taurine biosynthesis. Cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase has previously been used as a specific marker for identification of taurine neurons in the retina (10,17–19), cerebellum (3,4) and hippocampus (10,26,28).
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Beneveniste, H., Drejer, J., Schousboe, A., and Diemer, N.H. 1984, Elevation of the extracellular concentrations of glutamate and aspartate in rat hippocampus during transient cerebral ischemia monitored by intracerebral microdialysis, J.Neurochem., 43:1369–1374.
Berson, E.L., Hayes, K.C., Rabin, A.R., Schmidt, S.Y., and Watson, G. 1976, Retinal degeneration in cat fed casein. II. supplementation with methionine, cysteine or taurine, Invest. Ophthalmol., 15:52–58.
Chan-Palay, V., Lin, C.-T., Palay, S., Yamamoto, M., and Wu, J.-Y. 1982, Taurine in the mammalian cerebellum: demonstration by autoradiography with (]3]H)taurine and immunocytochemistry with antibodies against the taurine-synthesizing enzyme, cysteine-sulfinic acid decarboxylase, Proc.Natl.Acad.Sci.USA, 79:2695–2699.
Chan-Palay, V., Palay, S.L., and Wu, J.Y. 1982, Sagittal cerebellar microbands of taurine neurons-immunocytochemical demonstration by using antibodies against the taurine synthesizing enzyme cysteine sulfinic decarboxylase acid, Proc.Natl.Acad.Sci.USA, 79:4221–4225.
Chan-Palay, V., Wu, J.-Y., and Palay, S.L. 1979, Immunocytochemical localization of gamma aminobutyric acid transaminase at cellular and ultrastructure levels, Proc.Natl.Acad.Sci.USA, 76:2067–2071.
Dolara, P., Agresti, A., Giotti, A., and Pasquini, G. 1973, Effect of taurine on calcium kinetics of guinea pig heart, Eur.J.Pharmacol., 24:352–358.
Francis, A. and Pulsinetti, W. 1982, The response of GABAergic and cholinergic neurons to transient cerebral ischemia, Brain Res., 243:271–278.
Franconi, F., Stendardi, I., Matucci, R., Bennardini, F., Baccaro, C., and Giotti, A. 1985, A protective effect of taurine on “hypoxic” and “reoxygenated” guinea pig heart, in: “Taurine: biological actions and clinical perspectives”, Oja, S.S., Ahtee, L., Kontro, P. and Paasonen, M.K., eds., Alan R. Liss, New York, pp. 177–182.
Hagberg, H., Lehmann, A., Sandberg, M., Nystrom, B., Jacobsen, I., and Hamberger, A. 1985, Ischemia-induced shift of inhibitory and excitatory amino acids frm intra-and extracellular compartments, J. Cereb.Blood Flow Metab., 5:413–419.
Hanretta, A.T. and Lombardini, J.B. 1987, Is taurine a hypothalamic neurotransmitter?: a model of the differential uptake and compartmentalization of taurine by neuronal and glial cell particles from the rat hypothalamus, Brain Res.Rev., 12:167–201.
Hansen, A.J. 1985, Effect of anoxia on ion distribution in the brain, Physiol.Rev., 65:101–148.
Hayes, K.C., Carey, R.E., and Schmidt, S.Y. 1975, Retinal degeneration associated with taurine deficiency in the cat, Science, 188:949–951.
Johansen, F., Lin, C.T., Schousboe, A., and Wu, J.-Y. 1989, An immunocytochemical investigation of L-glutamate decarboxylase in the rat hippocampal formation: The influence of cerebral ischemia, J. Comp.Neurol., 281:40–53.
Jorgensen, M.B. and Diemer, N.H. 1982, Selective neuron loss after cerebral ischemia in the rat: possible role of transmitter glutamate, Acta Neurol.Scand., 66:536–546.
Kuriyama, K., Muramatsu, M., Nakagawa, K., and Kakita, K. 1978, Modulating role of taurine on release of neurotransmitters and calcium transport in excitable tissues, in: “Taurine and Neurological Disorders”, Barbeau, A. and Huxtable,.J., eds., Raven Press, New York, pp. 201–216.
Lehmann, A., Hagberg, H., and Hamberger, A. 1984, A role for taurine in the maintenance of homeostasis in the central nervous system during hyperexcitation? Neuroscience Letters, 52:341–346.
Lin, C.-T., Li, H.-Z., and Wu, J.-Y. 1983, Immunocytochemical localization of L-glutamate decarboxylase, gamma-aminobutyric acid transaminase, cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase, aspartate aminotransferase and somatostatin in rat retina, Brain Res., 270:273–283.
Lin, C.-T., Song, G.-X., and Wu, J.-Y. 1985, Ultrastructural demonstration of L-glutamate decarboxylase and cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase in rat retina by immunocytochemistry, Brain Res., 331:71–80.
Lin, C.-T., Song, G.-X., and Wu, Y.-Y. 1985, Is taurine a neurotransmitter in rabbit retina? Brain Res., 337:293–298.
Lombardini, J.B. 1978, High-affinity transport of taurine in the mammalian central nervous system, in: “Taurine and Neurological Disorders”, Barbeau, A. and Huxtable, R.J., eds., Raven Press, New York, pp. 119–136.
Lop’z-Colom’, A.M. 1982, Taurine receptors in CNS membranes: binding studies, in: “Taurine in Nutrition and Neurology”, Huxtable, R.J. and Pasantes-Morales, H., eds., Plenum Press, New York, pp. 293–310.
Nemoto, E.M. 1979, Studies on the pathogenesis of ischemic brain damage and its amelioration by barbiturate therapy, in: “Brain and Heart Infarct”, Zulch, K.J. and Kaufman, W., eds., Springer Verlag, pp. 306-317.
Pasantes-Morales, H., Ademe, R.M., and Quesada, O. 1981, Protective effect of taurine on the light-induced disruption of isolated frog rod outer segments, J.Neurochem.Res., 6:337–348.
Pulsinelli, W.A. and Brierly, J.B. 1979, A new model of bilateral hemispheric ischemia in the unanesthetized rat, Stroke, 10:267–272.
Schurr, A., Tsen, M.T., and Rigor, B.M. 1986, Protection against hypoxia by taurine — study using the in vitro hippocampal slice, Neurosci.Abstracts, 12:1526.(Abstract).
Taber, K.H., Lin, C.T., Liu, J.W., Thalmann, R.H., and Wu, J.Y. 1986, Taurine in hippocampus: localization and postsynaptic action, Brain Res., 386:113–121.
Weinberger, J. and Cohen, C. 1982, Differential effect of ischemia on active uptake of dopamine, GABA, and glutamate, J. Cereb.Blood Flow Metab., 2:265a.
Wu, J., Johansen, F.F., Lin, C., and Lui, J. 1987, Taurine system in the normal and ischemic rat hippocampus, in: “The biology of taurine: methods and mechanisms”, Huxtable, R.J., Franconi, F. and Giotti, A., eds., Plenum Press, New York, pp. 265–274.
Wu, J.-Y. 1982, Purification and characterization of cysteic acid and cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase and L-glutamate decarboxylase from bovine brain, Proc.Natl.Acad.Sci.USA, 79:4270–4274.
Wu, J.-Y. and Lin, C.-T. 1985, Immunocytochemical techniques, in: “Neuromethods, Vol. 3: Amino Acids”, Boulton, A.A., Baker, G.B. and Wood, J.D., eds., Humana Press, New Jersey, 115–178.
Wu, J.-Y., Lin, C.-T., Hwang, B., Wei, S., and Lin, H.S. 1986, Antibodies against enzymes synthesizing amino acid neuro-transmitters, in: “Neurohistochemistry, Modern Methods and Applications”, Panula, P., Paivarinta, H. and Soinila, S., eds., Alan R. Liss, Inc., New York, pp. 21–47.
Wu, J.-Y., Tang, X.W., and Tsai, W.H. 1992, Taurine receptor: Kinetic analysis and pharmacological studies, Adv.Exp.Med.Biol., 315:263–268.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Wu, JY., Lin, CT., Johansen, F.F., Liu, JW. (1994). Taurine Neurons in Rat Hippocampal Formation are Relatively Inert to Cerebral Ischemia. In: Huxtable, R.J., Michalk, D. (eds) Taurine in Health and Disease. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 359. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1471-2_29
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1471-2_29
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-1473-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-1471-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive