Neuroprotection with methylaminochroman and lazaroid of embryonic ventral mesencephalic tegmental dopaminergic neurons in cold storage.

Embryonic ventral mesencephalic tegmental (EVMT) neurons die off over time in cold storage at 4 degrees C in hibernation buffers (HB). Manipulation of HB conditions may improve the survival of neurons in cold storage. We examined the effect of lipid peroxidation inhibitors, a methylaminochroman (U83836E) and a lazaroid (U74389G) on the viability and survival of embryonic dopaminergic neurons in the co-culture system of embryonic striatal target (EST) cells and EVMT neurons that had been stored for 3 days at 4 degrees C in HB with or without U83836E or U74389G. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for analysis of data. The density of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive (THIR)-positive neurons was significantly higher in the groups stored in supplemented HB than in the control (HB alone; P < 0.001). The neuroprotective effect was concentration-dependent. We conclude that either U83836E or U74389G-conditioned HB exerted a concentration-dependent neuroprotective effect on embryonic dopaminergic neurons in cold storage for 3 days. Supplementation of U83836E and U74389G or other methylaminochromans and lazaroids in HB may be important for cold storage of donor neuronal cells.