KAINIC ACID-INDUCED NEURONAL LOSS AND GLIAL CHANGES IN THE HIPPOCAMPAL CA3 OF P53-DEFICIENT MOUSE

We examined kainic acid (KA)-induced neuronal death and changes in gli al cells in p53-deficient (p53(-/-)) and wild-type (p53(+/+)) mice whi ch were CBA and C57BL/6 background. The p53(-/-) mouse exhibited a KA- induced loss of CA3 pyramidal neurons similar to that in wild-type mou se. Before neuronal death, c-Jun protein was expressed, phosphorylated and translocated into several nuclei of CA3 pyramidal neurons. In p53 (-/-) mouse, microglial activation was slightly faster and more contin uous after 1-7 days than that in p53(+/+) mouse. On the other hand, p5 3(-/-) astrocytes were relatively resistant to KA cytotoxicity, and ma rked astrocytosis also occurred after 7 days. These observations sugge st that p53-null mutation may influence the activation and proliferati on of glial cells rather than neuronal death. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scienc e Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.