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Resveratrol inhibits electrical activity of paraventricular nucleus neurons in rat hypothalamic slices

Wang Ru, Xiao Lin, Ma Huijuan, Zhang Lihua, He Ruirong, Wu Yuming

Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University.Shijiazhuang 050017,Hebei

Abstract

To study the role of resveratrol in the discharges of neurons in paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of hypothalamic slices, extracellular single-unit discharge recording technique was used. The effects of resveratrol were examined with glass microelectrodes in the rat PVN neurons at resting potential level. The results were as follows: (1) In response to the application of resveratrol (0.05, 0.5, 5.0 #mu#mol/L, n=29) to the superfusate for 2 min, the spontaneous discharge rate (SDR) of neurons in 28/29 (96.6%) hypothalamic slices significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner; (2) Pretreatment with L-glutamate (0.2 mmol/L) led to a marked increase in the SDR of all 8/8 (100%) slices in an epileptiform pattern. The increased discharges were suppressed by the application of resveratrol (5.0 #mu#mol/L) in all 8 slices; (3) In 8 slices, perfusion of the selective L-type calcium channel agonist, Bay K8644 (0.1 #mu#mol/L), induced a significant increase in the discharge rate of 8/8 (100%) slices. Resveratrol (5.0 #mu#mol/L) significantly attenuated the increased SDR in all 8 slices; (4) Pretreatment with the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor N~(#omega#)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 50 #mu#mol/L) increased SDR in 7/8 (87.5%) slices, but did not affect the inhibitory effect of resveratrol (5.0 #mu#mol/L). These results suggest that resveratrol inhibits the electrical activity of PVN neurons and exerts neuroprotective actions in central neurons. The inhibitory effect of resveratrol is possibly related to the blockade of L-type calcium channel, but not due to NO release.

Key words: Hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus;resveratrol;calcium current

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Citing This Article：

Wang Ru, Xiao Lin, Ma Huijuan, Zhang Lihua, He Ruirong, Wu Yuming. Resveratrol inhibits electrical activity of paraventricular nucleus neurons in rat hypothalamic slices. Acta Physiol Sin 2008; 60 (2): 279-283 (in Chinese with English abstract).