NEUROTROPIC PYRIMIDINE HETEROCYCLIC-COMPOUNDS .2. EFFECTS OF NOVEL NEUROTROPIC PYRIMIDINE-DERIVATIVES ON ASTROCYTIC MORPHOLOGICAL-DIFFERENTIATION

Astrocytes play an important role in supporting nerve regeneration aft er brain injuries, In this study, the Effects of novel neurotropic syn thesized pyrimidine compounds on astrocytic morphological differentiat ion were examined, Treatment of protoplasmic cultured astrocytes with dihydro-7-methyl-6-oxo(7H)pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine maleate (MS-430) an d the related compounds caused astrocytic process formation in 60 min. The morphology of MS-430-treated cells was similar to that of dibutyr yl cAMP (DBcAMP)-treated cells, The astrocytic process formation by MS -430 was observed within 60 min and the maximum effect was obtained at the drug concentration of 0.5-1.0 mM. Rhodamine-phalloidin staining s howed that astrocytic cytoskeletal actin was reorganized by MS-430 and DBcAMP. MS-430 did not increase cAMP accumulation in cultured astrocy tes, These results suggest that the neurotropic pyrimidines induced as trocytic morphological differentiation through a cAMP-independent mech anism.