[Effects of hypoxic-preconditioning on anoxic-tolerance and Jun expression in cultured rat hippocampal neurons].

AIM: To study the effects of hypoxic preconditioning on anoxic tolerance and Jun expression in cultured rat hippocampal neurons after anoxia/reoxygenation. METHODS: 12 day cultured hippocampal neurons in control and hypoxic preconditioning group were exposed to anoxic environment (0.90L/L N2 + 0.10 L/L CO2) for 4 h, and then reoxygenated for either 24 h or 72 h. The neurons were immunocytochemically stained using the antiserum against Jun. The number of survival neurons and the percentage of Jun expressing neurons were investigated. RESULTS: The percentage of Jun expressing neurons induced by anoxia in hypoxic-preconditioning group was significantly less than that in control group. The number of survival neurons was more in the hypoxic-preconditioning group than that in control group after anoxic reoxygenation. CONCLUSION: Hypoxic-preconditioning can induce the development of anoxic-tolerance in cultured hippocampal neurons. The decrease in Jun expressing neurons in hippocampus may be an adaptive reaction to acute anoxia.