NGF prevents changes in rat brain glutathione-related enzymes following transection of the septohippocampal pathway

• Published in: Neurochemistry international Vol. 34; no. 2; pp. 125 - 130
• Main Authors: Cruz-Aguado, Reyniel, Francis-Turner, Liliana, Díaz-Suárez, Carmen M, Bergado, Jorge
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-02-1999; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - drug effects; Brain - enzymology; Cell physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glutathione Peroxidase - metabolism; Glutathione Reductase - metabolism; Glutathione Transferase - metabolism; Hippocampus - surgery; Male; Molecular and cellular biology; Nerve Growth Factors - pharmacology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Responses to growth factors, tumor promotors, other factors; Rat; Enzyme; Rodentia; Central nervous system; Nerve growth factor; Antioxidant; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Septohippocampal bundle; Enzymatic activity; Lesion; Brain (vertebrata); Glutathione
• ISSN: 0197-0186; 1872-9754
• DOI: 10.1016/S0197-0186(98)00076-X

The activities of the enzymes glutathione reductase (GRD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) were studied in several rat brain areas following the aspirative transection of the septohippocampal pathway (Fimbria fornix) and the administration of nerve growth factor (NGF) or cytochrome c. One group of animals remained untreated. This lesion resulted in a decreased hippocampal GRD and septal GST activities, as well as, in an increase in GPX activity from the frontal cortex, striatum, and septum. NGF prevented the lesion-induced changes in hippocampal GRD and septal GPX.
These findings show that the insult resulting from the aspiration of the fimbria fornix bundle involves modifications in glutahione related enzymes, and therefore, in the antioxidant status of brain tissue. These changes in glutathione matabolism could be a consequence of the oxidative damage to GRD and GST proteins or represent a compensatory response of GPX to the oxidative threat. The restoring effects of NFG on altered enzyme activities are possibly linked to its known neuroprotective action.