Abstract
To investigate the mechanisms underlying HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein 120 (gp120)-associated neurotoxicity on rat cortical neuronal cultures. Experiments were carried out on primary cortical neuronal cultures prepared from fetal Sprague-Dawley fetal rats. Immunocytochemistry and Western blot techniques were employed to examine the changes of the expressions of N-methyl-D-asparate receptors 2B(NR2B) and postsynaptic density 95 (PSD-95) in cultured neurons in the presence and absence of gp120 in the culture media. Gp120-induced neurotoxicity was determined by MTT assay. MTT assay showed gp120 produced dose-dependent neuronal injury when added to the culture media and the gp120-induced neuronal injury was blocked by memantine, a specific NR2B receptor antagonist. Further studies revealed that gp120 induced neuronal injury by up-regulation of NR2B and down-regulation of PSD-95 expressions in rat cortical neurons. These results demonstrated that gp120 injures neurons via an increase of NR2B and a decrease of PSD-95 expressions. The gp120-induced neuronal injury can be blocked by a specific NR2B receptor antagonist, suggesting NR2B may function as a potential target for the development of therapeutic strategies.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 139-142 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Xi bao yu fen zi mian yi xue za zhi = Chinese journal of cellular and molecular immunology |
Volume | 30 |
Issue number | 2 |
State | Published - Feb 2014 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Medicine