3-Nitropropionic acid induces ischemic tolerance in gerbil hippocampus in vivo.

Systemic administration of high dose of 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP), an irreversible inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase, causes neurodegeneration within the striatum in vivo. However, it has been reported that pretreatment with low dose of 3-NP may increase tolerance to subsequent hypoxia in hippocampal slices. The present study investigated whether ischemic tolerance can be induced in gerbil hippocampus in vivo by low dose of 3-NP. After pretreatment with 3-NP (single i.p. injection of 3 mg/kg, body weight 2-4 days prior to forebrain ischemia), the number of surviving neurons in CA1 region of hippocampus against succeeding forebrain ischemia was significantly higher than in the ischemic control group. Our results show that chemical preconditioning with low dose of 3-NP induces ischemic tolerance in gerbil hippocampus in vivo.