Alteration of second messenger systems after transient cerebral ischemia in gerbils: protective effect of pentobarbital and an autoradiographic analysis.

The postischemic alteration of second messenger systems in the gerbil brain was analyzed by receptor autoradiography using [3H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) and [3H]inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3). The alteration of the [3H]PDBu binding in striatum and hippocampus was milder than that of the [3H]IP3 binding 5 h and 7 days after 10-min ischemia. The administration of pentobarbital prevented a decrease in the [3H]IP3 binding sites in all areas 5 h and 7 days after ischemia. These results suggest that the disruption of intracellular calcium homeostasis may play an important factor in ischemic brain damage.