Prevention from hypoxia-induced apoptosis by pre-conditioning:: a mechanistic approach in cultured neurons from fetal rat forebrain

Molecular effects of pre-conditioning by 1-h hypoxia were investigated in cultured neurons from fetal rat forebrain, submitted the following day to a 6-h hypoxia that induces apoptosis. While preventing from apoptosis, pre-conditioning led to increased number of living neurons, DNA synthesis, with persistent overexpression of Bcl-2 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Adaptative mechanisms would involve anti-apoptotic proteins and regulators of the cell cycle, to finally promote neuronal proliferation. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.