Effects of oxygen and glucose deprivation on synaptic transmission in rat dentate gyrus: Role of A2A adenosine receptors

The hippocampus is comprised of two distinct subfields that show different responses to hypoxic-ischemic brain injury: the CA1 region is particularly susceptible whereas the dentate gyrus (DG) is quite resistant. Our aim was to determine the synaptic and proliferative response of the DG to severe oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) in acute rat hippocampal slices and to investigate the contribution of A2A adenosine receptor antagonism to recovery of synaptic activity after OGD.Extracellular recordings of field excitatory post-synaptic potentials (fEPSPs) in granule cells of the DG in brain slices prepared from male Wistar rats were used. A 9-min OGD is needed in the DG to always induce the appearance of anoxic depolarization (AD) and the irreversible block of synaptic activity, as recorded up to 24 h from the end of the insult, whereas only 7-min OGD is required in the CA1 region. Selective antagonism of A2A adenosine receptors by ZM241385 significantly prevents or delays the appearance of AD and protects from the irreversible block of neurotransmission induced by 9-min OGD in the DG.The effects of 9-min OGD on proliferation and maturation of cells localized in the subgranular zone of DG in slices prepared from 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) treated rats was investigated. Slices were further incubated with an immature neuronal marker, doublecortin (DCX). The number of BrdU+ cells was significantly decreased 6 h after 9-min OGD and this effect was antagonized by ZM241385. After 24 h from the end of 9-min OGD, the number of BrdU+ cells returned to that found before OGD and increased arborization of tertiary dendrites of DCX+ cells was observed.The adenosine A2A antagonist ZM241385 protects from synaptic failure and from decreased proliferation of immature neuronal cells at a precocious time after OGD.

► Nine minutes OGD induces an irreversible synaptic failure in the rat dentate gyrus. ► Six-hours after 9-min OGD the number of proliferating cells in the subgranular zone is decreased. ► The selective A2A adenosine antagonist ZM241385 reverses these effects. ► Severe OGD promotes maturation of proliferating neuronal progenitor cells in the dentate gyrus.