AGE-DEPENDENT DIFFERENCES OF LPS-INDUCED BDNF AND iNOS IN RAT SUBSTANTIA NIGRA

Objective - to study the intensity of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and inducible NO-synthase (iNOS) expression by substantia nigra glial cells in rats of different ages in norm and in neuroinflammation. Materials and methods. Experiments were performed on 36 male Wistar rats:18 young animals with the body weight of 250- 300 g and 18 old animals weighing 380-420 g. Using immunohistochemical method, these markers were detected in frozen sections in substantia nigra astro - and microgliocytes 8 weeks after stereotaxic unilateral injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). into this region. Results: Number of GFAP- and CD11β-positive cells (astro-and microgliocytes respectively) was significantly increased in the substantia nigra of old animals. 8 weeks after endotoxin administration, age-related differences in LPS-induced production of BDNF and iNOS were found. The injection of LPS intensified the production of BDNF in astrocytes in young but not old animals, while at the same time microglial cells of older animals expressed iNOS much more intensively. Conclusions: The balance of trophic and damaging factors synthesized by glial cells of the substance nigra in response to endotoxin stimulation depends on age. The glial response to endotoxin stimulation in young animals has a protective character, whereas in older animals it increases the risk of oxidative damage of neurons.

BDNF, iNOS, BDNF, iNOS, microglia, astroglia, neuroinflammation