Florianne Monnet-tschudi - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Florianne Monnet-tschudi

Research paper thumbnail of In vitro models to study insulin and glucocorticoids modulation of trimethyltin (TMT)-induced neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, and in vivo validation in db/db mice

Archives of Toxicology, 2019

Research paper thumbnail of An adverse outcome pathway for parkinsonian motor deficits associated with mitochondrial complex I inhibition

Research paper thumbnail of Contents Vol. 15, 1993

Developmental Neuroscience, 1993

Research paper thumbnail of Consensus statement on the need for innovation, transition and implementation of developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) testing for regulatory purposes

Toxicology and applied pharmacology, Jan 12, 2018

This consensus statement voices the agreement of scientific stakeholders from regulatory agencies... more This consensus statement voices the agreement of scientific stakeholders from regulatory agencies, academia and industry that a new framework needs adopting for assessment of chemicals with the potential to disrupt brain development. An increased prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders in children has been observed that cannot solely be explained by genetics and recently pre- and postnatal exposure to environmental chemicals has been suspected as a causal factor. There is only very limited information on neurodevelopmental toxicity, leaving thousands of chemicals, that are present in the environment, with high uncertainty concerning their developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) potential. Closing this data gap with the current test guideline approach is not feasible, because the in vivo bioassays are far too resource-intensive concerning time, money and number of animals. A variety of in vitro methods are now available, that have the potential to close this data gap by permitting mode-...

Research paper thumbnail of Maturation dependent susceptibility to the herbicide paraquat in 3D rat brain cell cultures

Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Neuroinflammation-induced by Ochratoxin A: Proteomic and morphological approaches

Research paper thumbnail of Long-term treatment of aggregating brain cell with low concentrations of lead acetate

NeuroToxicology

Aggregating brain cell cultures were used as a model to study the effect of chronic exposure to l... more Aggregating brain cell cultures were used as a model to study the effect of chronic exposure to low levels of lead acetate. Long-term maintenance of cultures could be improved by supplementation of the medium with albumin-bound lipids. Exposure for 9 days to 10(-6)-10(-4) M lead acetate caused a decrease of GABAergic (glutamic acid decarboxylase) and astrocytic (glutamine synthetase) markers which was also found after prolonged treatment (50 days) with 10(-7) M lead acetate. Total protein content and choline acetyltransferase were not changed. The results show that prolonged exposure of aggregating brain cell cultures to a low concentration of lead acetate causes distinct changes of cell type-specific parameters.

Research paper thumbnail of TNF-α and αB-crystallin upregulation during antibody-mediated demyelination in vitro: a putative protective mechanism in oligodendrocytes

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of trimethyltin (TMT) on glial and neuronal cells in aggregate cultures: Dependence on the developmental stage

NeuroToxicology

Long-term effects of trimethyltin (TMT) applied at concentrations below the cytotoxic level were ... more Long-term effects of trimethyltin (TMT) applied at concentrations below the cytotoxic level were examined in three-dimensional cell cultures of fetal rat telencephalon using biochemical, immunochemical and morphological criteria. It was found that in immature cultures low concentrations of TMT (10(-8) M) specifically induced a gliotic response in astrocytes, with increased immunoreactivity for glial fibrillary acidic protein, and a greater number of astrocytic processes. Significant changes in oligodendrocytic and neuronal parameters were found only at 10(-6) M of TMT. In differentiated cultures, distinct changes in cell type-specific parameters occurred at 10(-6) M of TMT (the lowest effective concentration). In addition, different patterns of responses were found for astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, as compared to immature cultures. These results suggest that among neural cells, astroblasts are most sensitive to TMT, and that the glial responses to this neurotoxicant are developme...

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of the naturally occurring food mycotoxin ochratoxin A on brain cells in culture

NeuroToxicology

The potential of ochratoxin A (OTA) to damage brain cells was studied by using a three-dimensiona... more The potential of ochratoxin A (OTA) to damage brain cells was studied by using a three-dimensional cell culture system as model for the developing brain. Aggregating cell cultures of foetal rat telencephalon were tested either during an early developmental period, or during a phase of advanced maturation, over a wide range of OTA concentrations (0.4 nM to 50 microM). By monitoring changes in activities of cell type-specific enzymes (ChAt and GAD, for cholinergic and GABAergic neurones, respectively, GS for astrocytes and CNP for oligodendrocytes), the concentration-dependent toxicity and neurodevelopmental effects of OTA were determined. OTA proved to be highly toxic, since a 10-day treatment at 50 nM caused a general cytotoxicity in both mature and immature cultures. At 10 nM of OTA, cell type-specific effects were observed: in immature cultures, a loss in neuronal and oligodendroglial enzyme activities, and an increase in the activity of the astroglial marker glutamine synthetase ...

Research paper thumbnail of Involvement of microglia-neuron interactions in the tumor necrosis factor-? release, microglial activation, and neurodegeneration induced by trimethyltin

Journal of Neuroscience Research, 2003

Research paper thumbnail of Cell type-specific expression and localization of cytochrome P450 isoforms in tridimensional aggregating rat brain cell cultures

Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA, Jan 17, 2015

Within the Predict-IV FP7 project a strategy for measurement of in vitro biokinetics was develope... more Within the Predict-IV FP7 project a strategy for measurement of in vitro biokinetics was developed, requiring the characterization of the cellular model used, especially regarding biotransformation, which frequently depends on cytochrome P450 (CYP) activity. The extrahepatic in situ CYP-mediated metabolism is especially relevant in target organ toxicity. In this study, the constitutive mRNA levels and protein localization of different CYP isoforms were investigated in 3D aggregating brain cell cultures. CYP1A1, CYP2B1/B2, CYP2D2/4, CYP2E1 and CYP3A were expressed; CYP1A1 and 2B1 represented almost 80% of the total mRNA content. Double-immunolabeling revealed their presence in astrocytes, in neurons, and to a minor extent in oligodendrocytes, confirming the cell-specific localization of CYPs in the brain. These results together with the recently reported formation of an amiodarone metabolite following repeated exposure suggest that this cell culture system possesses some metabolic po...

Research paper thumbnail of Seizures after single-agent overdose with pharmaceutical drugs: analysis of cases reported to a poison center

Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2014

Seizures during intoxications with pharmaceuticals are a well-known complication. However, only a... more Seizures during intoxications with pharmaceuticals are a well-known complication. However, only a few studies report on drugs commonly involved and calculate the seizure potential of these drugs. To identify the pharmaceutical drugs most commonly associated with seizures after single-agent overdose, the seizure potential of these pharmaceuticals, the age-distribution of the cases with seizures and the ingested doses. A retrospective review of acute single-agent exposures to pharmaceuticals reported to the Swiss Toxicological Information Centre (STIC) between January 1997 and December 2010 was conducted. Exposures which resulted in at least one seizure were identified. The seizure potential of a pharmaceutical was calculated by dividing the number of cases with seizures by the number of all cases recorded with that pharmaceutical. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. We identified 15,441 single-agent exposures. Seizures occurred in 313 cases. The most prevalent pharmaceut...

Research paper thumbnail of Neurotoxicity of dibutyltin in aggregating brain cell cultures

Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA

Dibutyltin (DBT) compounds are used primarily as stabilizers for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic... more Dibutyltin (DBT) compounds are used primarily as stabilizers for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics. Small quantities can be released from PVC containers into stored liquids. The neurotoxicological potential of DBT was tested in aggregating brain cell cultures after a 10-day treatment with concentrations ranging from 10(-10) to 10(-6)m, either during an early developmental period, or during a phase of advanced maturation. Changes in protein content, DNA labelling and cell type-specific enzyme activities were measured as end points. DBT caused general cytotoxicity at 10(-6)m in both immature and differentiated cultures. At 10(-7)m, it affected the myelin content and the cholinergic neurons in both states of maturation, while GABAergic neurons remained unchanged. Astrocyte and oligodendrocyte markers were diminished at 10(-7)m of DBT exclusively in immature cultures. DBT uptake by undifferentiated and differentiated cells was similar at this concentration. Whereas trimethyltin (TMT) is...

Research paper thumbnail of Involvement of environmental mercury and lead in the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases

Reviews on environmental health

The incidence of neurodegenerative disease like Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disea... more The incidence of neurodegenerative disease like Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease (AD) increases dramatically with age; only a small percentage is directly related to familial forms. The etiology of the most abundant, sporadic forms is complex and multifactorial, involving both genetic and environmental factors. Several environmental pollutants have been associated with neurodegenerative disorders. The present article focuses on results obtained in experimental neurotoxicology studies that indicate a potential pathogenic role of lead and mercury in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Both heavy metals have been shown to interfere with a multitude of intracellular targets, thereby contributing to several pathogenic processes typical of neurodegenerative disorders, including mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, deregulation of protein turnover, and brain inflammation. Exposure to heavy metals early in development can precondition the brain for deve...

Research paper thumbnail of Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and alphaB-crystallin up-regulation during antibody-mediated demyelination in vitro: a putative protective mechanism in oligodendrocytes

Journal of neuroscience research, 2004

By using an in vitro model of antibody-mediated demyelination, we investigated the relationship b... more By using an in vitro model of antibody-mediated demyelination, we investigated the relationship between tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and heat shock protein (HSP) induction with respect to oligodendrocyte survival. Differentiated aggregate cultures of rat telencephalon were subjected to demyelination by exposure to antibodies against myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) and complement. Cultures were analyzed 48 hr after exposure. Myelin basic protein (MBP) expression was greatly decreased, but no evidence was found for either necrosis or apoptosis. TNF-alpha was significantly up-regulated. It was localized predominantly in neurons and to a lesser extent in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, and it was not detectable in microglial cells. Among the different HSPs examined, HSP32 and alphaB-crystallin were up-regulated; they may confer protection from oxidative stress and from apoptotic death, respectively. These results suggest that TNF-alpha, often regarded as a promoter...

Research paper thumbnail of Use of aggregating brain cell cultures to study developmental effects of organophosphorus insecticides

Neurotoxicology, 2000

Aggregating brain cell cultures of fetal rat telencephalon can be grown in a chemically defined m... more Aggregating brain cell cultures of fetal rat telencephalon can be grown in a chemically defined medium for extended periods of time. After a phase of intense mitotic activity, these three-dimensional cell cultures undergo extensive morphological differentiation, including synaptogenesis and myelination. To study the developmental toxicity of organophosphorus compounds (OP), aggregating brain cell cultures were treated with parathion. Protein content and cell type-specific enzyme activities were not affected up to a concentration of 10(5) M. Gliosis, characterized by an increased staining for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), was observed in immature and in differentiated cells. In contrast, uridine incorporation and myelin basic protein (MBP) immunoreactivity revealed strong differences in sensitivity between these two developmental stages. These results are in agreement with the view that in vivo the development-dependent toxicity is not only due to changes in hepatic detoxif...

Research paper thumbnail of The naturally occurring food mycotoxin fumonisin B1 impairs myelin formation in aggregating brain cell culture

Neurotoxicology, 1999

The effects of subchronical applications of the mycotoxin Fumonisin B1 (FB1) were analyzed in vit... more The effects of subchronical applications of the mycotoxin Fumonisin B1 (FB1) were analyzed in vitro, using aggregating cell cultures of fetal rat telencephalon as a model. As cells in the aggregates developed from an immature state to a highly differentiated state, with synapse and compact myelin formation, it was possible to study the effects of FB1 at different developmental stages. The results showed that FB1 did not cause cell loss and it had no effects on neurons. However it decreased strongly the total content of myelin basic protein, the main constituent of the myelin sheath, during the myelination period (DIV 18-28). The loss of myelin was not accompanied by a loss of oligodendrocytes, the myelinating cells. However FB1 had effects on the maturation of oligodendrocytes, as revealed by a decrease in the expression of galactocerebroside, and on the compaction of myelin, as shown by a reduction of the expression of the mnyelin/oligodendrocyte glycoprotein MOG. The content of th...

Research paper thumbnail of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) Protects Partly against Demyelination by Modulating the Inflammatory Response: An In Vitro Study in Aggregating Brain Cell Cultures

Journal of Clinical Toxicology, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Direct angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT 2 R) stimulation attenuates T-cell and microglia activation and prevents demyelination in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice

Research paper thumbnail of In vitro models to study insulin and glucocorticoids modulation of trimethyltin (TMT)-induced neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, and in vivo validation in db/db mice

Archives of Toxicology, 2019

Research paper thumbnail of An adverse outcome pathway for parkinsonian motor deficits associated with mitochondrial complex I inhibition

Research paper thumbnail of Contents Vol. 15, 1993

Developmental Neuroscience, 1993

Research paper thumbnail of Consensus statement on the need for innovation, transition and implementation of developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) testing for regulatory purposes

Toxicology and applied pharmacology, Jan 12, 2018

This consensus statement voices the agreement of scientific stakeholders from regulatory agencies... more This consensus statement voices the agreement of scientific stakeholders from regulatory agencies, academia and industry that a new framework needs adopting for assessment of chemicals with the potential to disrupt brain development. An increased prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders in children has been observed that cannot solely be explained by genetics and recently pre- and postnatal exposure to environmental chemicals has been suspected as a causal factor. There is only very limited information on neurodevelopmental toxicity, leaving thousands of chemicals, that are present in the environment, with high uncertainty concerning their developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) potential. Closing this data gap with the current test guideline approach is not feasible, because the in vivo bioassays are far too resource-intensive concerning time, money and number of animals. A variety of in vitro methods are now available, that have the potential to close this data gap by permitting mode-...

Research paper thumbnail of Maturation dependent susceptibility to the herbicide paraquat in 3D rat brain cell cultures

Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Neuroinflammation-induced by Ochratoxin A: Proteomic and morphological approaches

Research paper thumbnail of Long-term treatment of aggregating brain cell with low concentrations of lead acetate

NeuroToxicology

Aggregating brain cell cultures were used as a model to study the effect of chronic exposure to l... more Aggregating brain cell cultures were used as a model to study the effect of chronic exposure to low levels of lead acetate. Long-term maintenance of cultures could be improved by supplementation of the medium with albumin-bound lipids. Exposure for 9 days to 10(-6)-10(-4) M lead acetate caused a decrease of GABAergic (glutamic acid decarboxylase) and astrocytic (glutamine synthetase) markers which was also found after prolonged treatment (50 days) with 10(-7) M lead acetate. Total protein content and choline acetyltransferase were not changed. The results show that prolonged exposure of aggregating brain cell cultures to a low concentration of lead acetate causes distinct changes of cell type-specific parameters.

Research paper thumbnail of TNF-α and αB-crystallin upregulation during antibody-mediated demyelination in vitro: a putative protective mechanism in oligodendrocytes

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of trimethyltin (TMT) on glial and neuronal cells in aggregate cultures: Dependence on the developmental stage

NeuroToxicology

Long-term effects of trimethyltin (TMT) applied at concentrations below the cytotoxic level were ... more Long-term effects of trimethyltin (TMT) applied at concentrations below the cytotoxic level were examined in three-dimensional cell cultures of fetal rat telencephalon using biochemical, immunochemical and morphological criteria. It was found that in immature cultures low concentrations of TMT (10(-8) M) specifically induced a gliotic response in astrocytes, with increased immunoreactivity for glial fibrillary acidic protein, and a greater number of astrocytic processes. Significant changes in oligodendrocytic and neuronal parameters were found only at 10(-6) M of TMT. In differentiated cultures, distinct changes in cell type-specific parameters occurred at 10(-6) M of TMT (the lowest effective concentration). In addition, different patterns of responses were found for astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, as compared to immature cultures. These results suggest that among neural cells, astroblasts are most sensitive to TMT, and that the glial responses to this neurotoxicant are developme...

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of the naturally occurring food mycotoxin ochratoxin A on brain cells in culture

NeuroToxicology

The potential of ochratoxin A (OTA) to damage brain cells was studied by using a three-dimensiona... more The potential of ochratoxin A (OTA) to damage brain cells was studied by using a three-dimensional cell culture system as model for the developing brain. Aggregating cell cultures of foetal rat telencephalon were tested either during an early developmental period, or during a phase of advanced maturation, over a wide range of OTA concentrations (0.4 nM to 50 microM). By monitoring changes in activities of cell type-specific enzymes (ChAt and GAD, for cholinergic and GABAergic neurones, respectively, GS for astrocytes and CNP for oligodendrocytes), the concentration-dependent toxicity and neurodevelopmental effects of OTA were determined. OTA proved to be highly toxic, since a 10-day treatment at 50 nM caused a general cytotoxicity in both mature and immature cultures. At 10 nM of OTA, cell type-specific effects were observed: in immature cultures, a loss in neuronal and oligodendroglial enzyme activities, and an increase in the activity of the astroglial marker glutamine synthetase ...

Research paper thumbnail of Involvement of microglia-neuron interactions in the tumor necrosis factor-? release, microglial activation, and neurodegeneration induced by trimethyltin

Journal of Neuroscience Research, 2003

Research paper thumbnail of Cell type-specific expression and localization of cytochrome P450 isoforms in tridimensional aggregating rat brain cell cultures

Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA, Jan 17, 2015

Within the Predict-IV FP7 project a strategy for measurement of in vitro biokinetics was develope... more Within the Predict-IV FP7 project a strategy for measurement of in vitro biokinetics was developed, requiring the characterization of the cellular model used, especially regarding biotransformation, which frequently depends on cytochrome P450 (CYP) activity. The extrahepatic in situ CYP-mediated metabolism is especially relevant in target organ toxicity. In this study, the constitutive mRNA levels and protein localization of different CYP isoforms were investigated in 3D aggregating brain cell cultures. CYP1A1, CYP2B1/B2, CYP2D2/4, CYP2E1 and CYP3A were expressed; CYP1A1 and 2B1 represented almost 80% of the total mRNA content. Double-immunolabeling revealed their presence in astrocytes, in neurons, and to a minor extent in oligodendrocytes, confirming the cell-specific localization of CYPs in the brain. These results together with the recently reported formation of an amiodarone metabolite following repeated exposure suggest that this cell culture system possesses some metabolic po...

Research paper thumbnail of Seizures after single-agent overdose with pharmaceutical drugs: analysis of cases reported to a poison center

Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2014

Seizures during intoxications with pharmaceuticals are a well-known complication. However, only a... more Seizures during intoxications with pharmaceuticals are a well-known complication. However, only a few studies report on drugs commonly involved and calculate the seizure potential of these drugs. To identify the pharmaceutical drugs most commonly associated with seizures after single-agent overdose, the seizure potential of these pharmaceuticals, the age-distribution of the cases with seizures and the ingested doses. A retrospective review of acute single-agent exposures to pharmaceuticals reported to the Swiss Toxicological Information Centre (STIC) between January 1997 and December 2010 was conducted. Exposures which resulted in at least one seizure were identified. The seizure potential of a pharmaceutical was calculated by dividing the number of cases with seizures by the number of all cases recorded with that pharmaceutical. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. We identified 15,441 single-agent exposures. Seizures occurred in 313 cases. The most prevalent pharmaceut...

Research paper thumbnail of Neurotoxicity of dibutyltin in aggregating brain cell cultures

Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA

Dibutyltin (DBT) compounds are used primarily as stabilizers for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic... more Dibutyltin (DBT) compounds are used primarily as stabilizers for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics. Small quantities can be released from PVC containers into stored liquids. The neurotoxicological potential of DBT was tested in aggregating brain cell cultures after a 10-day treatment with concentrations ranging from 10(-10) to 10(-6)m, either during an early developmental period, or during a phase of advanced maturation. Changes in protein content, DNA labelling and cell type-specific enzyme activities were measured as end points. DBT caused general cytotoxicity at 10(-6)m in both immature and differentiated cultures. At 10(-7)m, it affected the myelin content and the cholinergic neurons in both states of maturation, while GABAergic neurons remained unchanged. Astrocyte and oligodendrocyte markers were diminished at 10(-7)m of DBT exclusively in immature cultures. DBT uptake by undifferentiated and differentiated cells was similar at this concentration. Whereas trimethyltin (TMT) is...

Research paper thumbnail of Involvement of environmental mercury and lead in the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases

Reviews on environmental health

The incidence of neurodegenerative disease like Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disea... more The incidence of neurodegenerative disease like Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease (AD) increases dramatically with age; only a small percentage is directly related to familial forms. The etiology of the most abundant, sporadic forms is complex and multifactorial, involving both genetic and environmental factors. Several environmental pollutants have been associated with neurodegenerative disorders. The present article focuses on results obtained in experimental neurotoxicology studies that indicate a potential pathogenic role of lead and mercury in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Both heavy metals have been shown to interfere with a multitude of intracellular targets, thereby contributing to several pathogenic processes typical of neurodegenerative disorders, including mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, deregulation of protein turnover, and brain inflammation. Exposure to heavy metals early in development can precondition the brain for deve...

Research paper thumbnail of Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and alphaB-crystallin up-regulation during antibody-mediated demyelination in vitro: a putative protective mechanism in oligodendrocytes

Journal of neuroscience research, 2004

By using an in vitro model of antibody-mediated demyelination, we investigated the relationship b... more By using an in vitro model of antibody-mediated demyelination, we investigated the relationship between tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and heat shock protein (HSP) induction with respect to oligodendrocyte survival. Differentiated aggregate cultures of rat telencephalon were subjected to demyelination by exposure to antibodies against myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) and complement. Cultures were analyzed 48 hr after exposure. Myelin basic protein (MBP) expression was greatly decreased, but no evidence was found for either necrosis or apoptosis. TNF-alpha was significantly up-regulated. It was localized predominantly in neurons and to a lesser extent in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, and it was not detectable in microglial cells. Among the different HSPs examined, HSP32 and alphaB-crystallin were up-regulated; they may confer protection from oxidative stress and from apoptotic death, respectively. These results suggest that TNF-alpha, often regarded as a promoter...

Research paper thumbnail of Use of aggregating brain cell cultures to study developmental effects of organophosphorus insecticides

Neurotoxicology, 2000

Aggregating brain cell cultures of fetal rat telencephalon can be grown in a chemically defined m... more Aggregating brain cell cultures of fetal rat telencephalon can be grown in a chemically defined medium for extended periods of time. After a phase of intense mitotic activity, these three-dimensional cell cultures undergo extensive morphological differentiation, including synaptogenesis and myelination. To study the developmental toxicity of organophosphorus compounds (OP), aggregating brain cell cultures were treated with parathion. Protein content and cell type-specific enzyme activities were not affected up to a concentration of 10(5) M. Gliosis, characterized by an increased staining for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), was observed in immature and in differentiated cells. In contrast, uridine incorporation and myelin basic protein (MBP) immunoreactivity revealed strong differences in sensitivity between these two developmental stages. These results are in agreement with the view that in vivo the development-dependent toxicity is not only due to changes in hepatic detoxif...

Research paper thumbnail of The naturally occurring food mycotoxin fumonisin B1 impairs myelin formation in aggregating brain cell culture

Neurotoxicology, 1999

The effects of subchronical applications of the mycotoxin Fumonisin B1 (FB1) were analyzed in vit... more The effects of subchronical applications of the mycotoxin Fumonisin B1 (FB1) were analyzed in vitro, using aggregating cell cultures of fetal rat telencephalon as a model. As cells in the aggregates developed from an immature state to a highly differentiated state, with synapse and compact myelin formation, it was possible to study the effects of FB1 at different developmental stages. The results showed that FB1 did not cause cell loss and it had no effects on neurons. However it decreased strongly the total content of myelin basic protein, the main constituent of the myelin sheath, during the myelination period (DIV 18-28). The loss of myelin was not accompanied by a loss of oligodendrocytes, the myelinating cells. However FB1 had effects on the maturation of oligodendrocytes, as revealed by a decrease in the expression of galactocerebroside, and on the compaction of myelin, as shown by a reduction of the expression of the mnyelin/oligodendrocyte glycoprotein MOG. The content of th...

Research paper thumbnail of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) Protects Partly against Demyelination by Modulating the Inflammatory Response: An In Vitro Study in Aggregating Brain Cell Cultures

Journal of Clinical Toxicology, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Direct angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT 2 R) stimulation attenuates T-cell and microglia activation and prevents demyelination in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice