Natural Mechanisms of Anoxia Tolerance in Brain and Liver of the Painted Turtle and Goldfish

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The Buck lab is investigating the cellular mechanisms that permit vertebrate species, such as freshwater turtles and goldfish to survive without oxygen (anoxia) for days to months. We are interested in the fundamental mechanisms underlying this ability but our results will have clear clinical significance in the treatment of stroke, heart attack and organ transplant. Brain and liver cell models are used to study the cellular mechanisms of anoxia tolerance in tissue that is electrically excitable and one that is not. Key to surviving anoxia is the shutting off of energy utilizing cellular activities, such as the synthesis of new proteins and maintaining ion gradients across cell membranes. We have shown that protein synthesis decreases by 90%, the pump that maintains ion gradients across cell membranes decreases by 75%, and ion channel activity (pathways for ions to cross membranes) decreases and in one special case increases. The ability to reduce the rate of these energy consuming reactions is something that human's lack; however, basic biochemical pathways are common amongst vertebrate species. Our goal is to determine the natural cellular pathways responsible for shutting off energy consuming processes in anoxia-tolerant species. We have discovered that brain excitatory signaling by pyramidal neurons involving glutamate is decreased, while inhibitory activity involving GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) and stellate neurons is increased during anoxia. In fact, GABA currents double in magnitude during anoxia and we discovered that a decrease in reactive oxygen species that naturally occurs during anoxia, can trigger these changes in the absence of anoxia. A major focus of this grant is to measure the electrical activity of GABA releasing stellate neurons during anoxia to understand what triggers this large release of neurotransmitter. Interestingly, the way in which some anesthetics reduce brain activity in humans is similar to what we see in turtle brain and we may have uncovered a natural anesthetic mechanism. Brain is an electrically excitable tissue and we are also investigating anoxic regulation of ion channels in non-excitable tissue-liver. We have established a liver cell culture and will investigate cytoskeletal activity during anoxia. Cytoskeletal maintenance can consume a significant portion of the total cellular energy demand; therefore, using high-powered microscopy we will visualize movement of cytoskeletal elements during anoxia to determine if cytoskeletal movement is arrested. And then pursue mechanisms by which this occurs. Additionally, we will investigate the impact of low temperature on all of the parameters measured in both brain and liver. In this grant cycle we will continue to explore the anoxia-mediated changes in electrophysiological properties and second messenger pathways in brain and liver, and will begin exploring cytoskeletal arrest and the impact of low temperature on anoxic survival mechanisms.