Levetiracetam protects hippocampal neurons in culture against hypoxia-induced injury

Krzysztof Sendrowski; Leszek Boćkowski; Wojciech Sobaniec; Elżbieta Iłendo; Barbara Jaworowska; Joanna Śmigielska-Kuzia

doi:10.5603/FHC.2011.0021

Vol 49, No 1 (2011)

Original paper

Submitted: 2011-12-19

Published online: 2011-04-19

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Levetiracetam protects hippocampal neurons in culture against hypoxia-induced injury

Krzysztof Sendrowski, Leszek Boćkowski, Wojciech Sobaniec, Elżbieta Iłendo, Barbara Jaworowska, Joanna Śmigielska-Kuzia

DOI: 10.5603/FHC.2011.0021

Folia Histochem Cytobiol 2011;49(1):148-152.

Vol 49, No 1 (2011)

ORIGINAL PAPERS

Submitted: 2011-12-19

Published online: 2011-04-19

Abstract

Many experimental studies indicate that some antiepileptic drugs possess neuroprotective properties in varied models of neuronal injury. Levetiracetam is a second-generation antiepileptic drug with a novel mechanism of action. In the present study, we evaluated the putative neuroprotective effect of levetiracetam on primary hippocampal cultures at seven day in vitro. Cell death was induced by incubation of neural cultures in hypoxic conditions over 24 hours. Neuronal injury was assessed by morphometric investigation of death/total ratio of neurons in light microscopy using Trypan blue staining and by evaluation of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in the culture medium. Our results indicate that pre-conditioning of hippocampal cultures with high concentrations of levetiracetam (100 μM and 300 μM) protects neurons against hypoxia-induced death. Two-fold higher number of neurons remained viable as compared to control cultures without drug. Lack of neuroprotective action of the drug on hippocampal neural cultures was observed, when a low concentration (10 μM) of levetiracetam was used. (Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica 2011, Vol. 49, No. 1, 148–152)

Abstract

Many experimental studies indicate that some antiepileptic drugs possess neuroprotective properties in varied models of neuronal injury. Levetiracetam is a second-generation antiepileptic drug with a novel mechanism of action. In the present study, we evaluated the putative neuroprotective effect of levetiracetam on primary hippocampal cultures at seven day in vitro. Cell death was induced by incubation of neural cultures in hypoxic conditions over 24 hours. Neuronal injury was assessed by morphometric investigation of death/total ratio of neurons in light microscopy using Trypan blue staining and by evaluation of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in the culture medium. Our results indicate that pre-conditioning of hippocampal cultures with high concentrations of levetiracetam (100 μM and 300 μM) protects neurons against hypoxia-induced death. Two-fold higher number of neurons remained viable as compared to control cultures without drug. Lack of neuroprotective action of the drug on hippocampal neural cultures was observed, when a low concentration (10 μM) of levetiracetam was used. (Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica 2011, Vol. 49, No. 1, 148–152)

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Keywords

levetiracetam; neuroprotection; hippocampal culture; hypoxia

About this article

Title

Levetiracetam protects hippocampal neurons in culture against hypoxia-induced injury

Journal

Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica

Issue

Vol 49, No 1 (2011)

Article type

Original paper

Pages

148-152

Published online

2011-04-19

Page views

1934

Article views/downloads

1979

DOI

10.5603/FHC.2011.0021

Bibliographic record

Folia Histochem Cytobiol 2011;49(1):148-152.

Keywords

levetiracetam
neuroprotection
hippocampal culture
hypoxia

Authors

Krzysztof Sendrowski
Leszek Boćkowski
Wojciech Sobaniec
Elżbieta Iłendo
Barbara Jaworowska
Joanna Śmigielska-Kuzia