ETHANOL-INDUCED CELL-DEATH IN CULTURED RAT ASTROGLIA

Because of the important role of glial cells in brain maturation and r eports on their delayed proliferation following ethanol exposure, it w as considered of interest to investigate the mechanism of ethanol acti on on these cells. Biochemical parameters related to the apoptotic and necrotic processes in astroglial cells exposed for 1 week to 50 and 1 00 mM ethanol were examined. Ethanol increased intracellular calcium-l evels without changing transglutaminase activity and nitrite levels. M oreover, DNA fragmentation was noted with now cytometry and with the r andom oligonucleotide primed synthesis assay but neither following aga r gel electrophoresis nor in UV microscopy of cell nuclei. The DNA pat terns obtained were different from these seen in programmed cell death . Additionally, immunocytochemical analysis showed greater fragility o f astrocytes than oligodendrocytes to ethanol. These results support t he hypothesis that astroglial cells in vitro exposed to ethanol die du e to necrotic but not apoptotic mechanisms. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.