Ethanol-induced developmental neurodegeneration in secretin receptor-deficient mice

Neuroreport. 2009 May 6;20(7):698-701. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0b013e32832a5c9e.

Abstract

Alcohol exposure during brain development induces neuronal cell death in the brain. Several neuroactive peptides have been shown to protect against alcohol-induced cell death. Secretin is a peptide hormone, and the secretin receptor is expressed in the gut and the brain. To explore a potential role of secretin signal against ethanol neurotoxicity during brain development, secretin receptor-deficient mice were exposed to ethanol on postnatal day 4. We identified significant ethanol-induced apoptosis in the external granular layer of the secretin receptor-deficient cerebellum and in the striatum after ethanol treatment. During the early postnatal period, there is a proliferation of granular cell progenitors that reside in the external granular layer. The results suggest that secretin signal plays a neuroprotective role of neuronal progenitor cells against the neurotoxicity of ethanol.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Central Nervous System Depressants / toxicity
  • Cerebellum / drug effects*
  • Cerebellum / growth & development
  • Cerebellum / metabolism
  • Cerebellum / pathology
  • Corpus Striatum / drug effects*
  • Corpus Striatum / growth & development
  • Corpus Striatum / metabolism
  • Corpus Striatum / pathology
  • Ethanol / toxicity*
  • In Situ Nick-End Labeling
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Nerve Degeneration / chemically induced
  • Nerve Degeneration / metabolism
  • Nerve Degeneration / pathology*
  • Neurons / cytology*
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / physiology
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / genetics
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Gastrointestinal Hormone / genetics
  • Receptors, Gastrointestinal Hormone / metabolism*
  • Secretin / metabolism*
  • Stem Cells / drug effects
  • Stem Cells / physiology

Substances

  • Central Nervous System Depressants
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Receptors, Gastrointestinal Hormone
  • secretin receptor
  • Secretin
  • Ethanol