Ornithine decarboxylase activity and putrescine levels in reversible cerebral ischemia of Mongolian gerbils: effect of barbiturate.

Reversible cerebral ischemia was produced in anesthetized Mongolian gerbils by occluding both common carotid arteries. After 5 min of ischemia, brains were recirculated for 8 or 24 h. Treated animals received a single intraperitoneal injection of pentobarbital (50 mg/kg) immediately after the aneurysm clips were removed. At the end of the experiments, animals were reanesthetized and their brains frozen in situ. Tissue samples were taken from the cerebral cortex, lateral striatum, CA1 subfield of the hippocampus, thalamus, and cerebellum for measuring ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and putrescine levels. In addition, 20-microns-thick coronal tissue sections were taken from the level of the striatum and stained with hematoxylin/eosin for evaluating the extent of ischemic neuronal necrosis in the lateral striatum. In control animals ODC activity and putrescine levels amounted, respectively, to 0.32 +/- 0.03 nmol/g/h and 10.2 +/- 0.5 nmol/g in the cerebral cortex; 0.34 +/- 0.02 nmol/g/h and 12.8 +/- 0.5 nmol/g in the lateral striatum; 0.58 +/- 0.05 nmol/g/h and 10.5 +/- 0.7 nmol/g in the hippocampal CA1 subfield; 0.35 +/- 0.01 nmol/g/h and 9.8 +/- 0.4 nmol/g in the thalamus; and 0.25 +/- 0.01 nmol/g/h and 8.3 +/- 0.6 nmol/g in the cerebellum. After 5 min cerebral ischemia and 8 h recirculation, a significant 7- to 16-fold increase in ODC activity was observed in all forebrain structures studied. Following 24 h recirculation, ODC activity normalized in the cortex, striatum, and thalamus but was still significantly above control values in the hippocampal CA1 subfield.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)