OBJECTIVE The second window of protection (SWOP) following brief coronary artery occlusion begins at 24 h and may last up to 72 h and occurs via many unknown mechanisms. We investigated the role of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP), a non specific pore in the inner membrane of the mitochondria in this phenomenon. METHODS Ischemic preconditioning (IP) was induced in Wistar r...

Caspases are currently known as the central executioners of the apoptotic pathways. Inhibition of apoptosis and promotion of normal cell survival by caspase inhibitors would be a tremendous benefit for reducing the side effects of cancer therapy and for control of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's diseases. The objective of this study was to discover...

We have reported that rebamipide, a gastroprotective drug, suppresses indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal injury in humans and rats. However, the mechanisms of the cytoprotective actions of rebamipide have not been fully addressed. In the present study, we determined mRNA expression profile of the gastric mucosa treated with indomethacin in rats, and investigated the cytoprotective effects of ...

The major keratins in the pancreas and liver are keratins 8 and 18 (K8/K18), but their function seemingly differs in that liver K8/K18 are essential cytoprotective proteins, whereas pancreatic K8/K18 are dispensable. This functional dichotomy raises the hypothesis that K8-null pancreata may undergo compensatory cytoprotective gene expression. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the gene expr...

OBJECTIVE Oxidative stress (OS) induces smooth muscle cell apoptosis in the atherosclerotic plaque, leading to plaque instability and rupture. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) exerts cytoprotective effects in the vessel wall. Recent evidence suggests that PKB/Akt may modulate HO-1 activity. This study examined the role of Akt in mediating the cytoprotective effects of HO-1 in OS-induced apoptosis of hum...

Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury triggers an inflammatory response associated to infiltrating macrophages which determines the further outcome of disease. Brown Norway rats are known to show endogenous resistance to ischemia-induced renal damage. By contrast, Sprague Dawley rats exhibit a higher susceptibility to ischemic injury. In order to ascertain cytoprotective mechanisms, we focused on t...

For several years, oncostatic and antiproliferative properties, as well as thoses of cell death induction through 5-methoxy-N-acetiltryptamine or melatonin treatment, have been known. Paradoxically, its remarkable scavenger, cytoprotective and anti-apoptotic characteristics in neurodegeneration models, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are known too. Analogous results have bee...

BACKGROUND Atrial Fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia encountered following cardiac surgery. The most commonly administered drug used in treatment and prophylaxis is amiodarone which has several toxic effects on major organ functions. There are few clinical data concerning prevention of toxic effects and there is no routinely suggested agent. The aim of this study is to document the cyto...

Psychological or physical stress induces an elevation of corticosteroids in the circulating system. We report here that corticosterone (CT) protects cardiomyocytes from apoptotic cell death induced by doxorubicin (Dox), an antineoplastic drug known to induce cardiomyopathy possibly through reactive oxygen species production. The cytoprotection induced by CT is within the range of physiologicall...

Neurotropin, a non-protein extract from inflamed rabbit skin inoculated with vaccinia virus, is well-known as an analgesic drug, but its cytoprotective effects have not been explored. Since infection by viruses such as human T-cell leukemia virus type-I and Epstein Barr induces expression of the redox-regulating molecule thioredoxin (TRX), we hypothesized that Neurotropin would also be capable ...