Apoptosis of astroglial cells

Astrocytes, the most abundant glial cell type in the brain, are considered to have physiological and pathological roles in neuronal activities. We found that reperfusion of cultured astrocytes after Ca2+ depletion causes delayed cell death and that the Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger in the reverse mode is responsible for this Ca(2+)-mediated cell injury (Ca2+ paradox injury). The Ca2+ paradox injury of cultured astrocytes is considered to be an in vitro model of ischemia/reperfusion injury, since a similar paradoxical change in extracellular Ca2+ concentration is reported in ischemic brain tissue. Furthermore, we demonstrated that heat shock proteins, glutathione and calcineurin inhibitors protected astrocytes against Ca2+ paradox-induced cell toxicity. We also observed DNA fragmentation, a typical apoptotic ladder, 2-3 days after hydrogen peroxide exposure. In addition, laser microscopic observation showed that reperfusion after the exposure to hydrogen peroxide caused nuclear condensation of astrocytes. Hydrogen peroxide-induced cell injury and DNA fragmentation were attenuated by the NF-kappa B inhibitor ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate, 1,10-phenanthroline and a caspase 3 inhibitor. These findings suggest that astrocytes are one of the targets for ROS and the oxidative stress-induced delayed death of astrocytes is at least due to apoptosis.