Enhanced hypoxic preconditioning by isoflurane: Signaling gene expression and requirement of intracellular Ca2+ and inositol triphosphate receptors

Neurons preconditioned with non-injurious hypoxia or the anesthetic isoflurane express different genes but are equally protected against severe hypoxia/ischemia. We hypothesized that neuroprotection would be augmented when preconditioning with isoflurane and hypoxic preconditioning are combined. We also tested if preconditioning requires intracellular Ca2+ and the inositol triphosphate receptor, and if gene expression is similar in single agent and combined preconditioning. Hippocampal slice cultures prepared from 9 day old rats were preconditioned with hypoxia (95% N2, 5% CO2 for 15 min, HPC), 1% isoflurane for 15 min (APC) or their combination (CPC) for 15 min. A day later cultures were deprived of O2 and glucose (OGD) to produce neuronal injury. Cell death was assessed 48 h after OGD. mRNA encoding 119 signal transduction genes was quantified with cDNA micro arrays. Intracellular Ca2+ in CA1 region was measured with fura-2 during preconditioning. The cell-permeable Ca2+ buffer BAPTA-AM, the IP3 receptor antagonist Xestospongin C and RNA silencing were used to investigate preconditioning mechanisms. CPC decreased CA1, CA3 and dentate region death by 64-86% following OGD, more than HPC or APC alone (P < 0.01). Gene expression following CPC was an amalgam of gene expression in HPC and APC, with simultaneous increases in growth/development and survival/apoptosis regulation genes. Intracellular Ca2+ chelation and RNA silencing of IP3 receptors prevented preconditioning neuroprotection and gene responses. We conclude that combined isoflurane-hypoxia preconditioning augments neuroprotection compared to single agents in immature rat hippocampal slice cultures. The mechanism involves genes for growth, development, apoptosis regulation and cell survival as well as IP3 receptors and intracellular Ca2+.