GAT inhibition preserves cerebral blood flow and reduces oxidant damage to mitochondria in rodents exposed to extreme hyperbaric oxygen.
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2022-01
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Oxygen breathing at elevated partial pressures (PO2's) at or more than 3 atmospheres absolute (ATA) causes a reduction in brain γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels that impacts the development of central nervous system oxygen toxicity (CNS-OT). Drugs that increase brain GABA content delay the onset of CNS-OT, but it is unknown if oxidant damage is lessened because brain tissue PO2 remains elevated during hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) exposures. Experiments were performed in rats and mice to measure brain GABA levels with or without GABA transporter inhibitors (GATs) and its influence on cerebral blood flow, oxidant damage, and aspects of mitochondrial quality control signaling (mitophagy and biogenesis). In rats pretreated with tiagabine (GAT1 inhibitor), the tachycardia, secondary rise in mean arterial blood pressure, and cerebral hyperemia were prevented during HBO2 at 5 and 6 ATA. Tiagabine and the nonselective GAT inhibitor nipecotic acid similarly extended HBO2 seizure latencies. In mice pretreated with tiagabine and exposed to HBO2 at 5 ATA, nuclear and mitochondrial DNA oxidation and astrocytosis was attenuated in the cerebellum and hippocampus. Less oxidant injury in these regions was accompanied by reduced conjugated microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3-II), an index of mitophagy, and phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein (pCREB), an initiator of mitochondrial biogenesis. We conclude that GABA prevents cerebral hyperemia and delays neuroexcitation under extreme HBO2, limiting oxidant damage in the cerebellum and hippocampus, and likely lowering mitophagy flux and initiation of pCREB-initiated mitochondrial biogenesis.
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Demchenko, Ivan T, Hagir B Suliman, Sergey Y Zhilyaey, Olga S Alekseeva, Tatyana F Platonova, Matthew S Makowski, Claude A Piantadosi, Heath G Gasier, et al. (2022). GAT inhibition preserves cerebral blood flow and reduces oxidant damage to mitochondria in rodents exposed to extreme hyperbaric oxygen. Frontiers in molecular neuroscience, 15. p. 1062410. 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1062410 Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/26693.
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Heath Gasier
Dr. Gasier is a physiologist and nutritionist. His research is focused on understanding how breathing altered PO2 impacts cell physiology in the lung, brain, and skeletal muscle. Emphasis is placed on mitochondrial quality control (dynamics, mitophagy, and biogenesis) and bioenergetics. He uses in vivo and in vitro models, and employs an array of methods (e.g., confocal and electron microscopy, Seahorse respiration, immunoblotting, RT-qPCR, ELISA’s, isotope tracers, and 10X genomics) for hypothesis testing. The goal of his research is to improve the operational capacity of divers and safety of hyperoxia in hyperbaric and critical care medicine. Dr. Gasier believes in a hands-on mentoring approach and individualized training plans based on mentee’s aspirations. He is committed to lifetime learning and contributing to knowledge advancement.
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