Abstract
ABSTRACT: Newborn rat brain astrocytes (type 1 astrocytes, O-2A progenitor cells, and O-2A progenitor-derived cells, i.e. oligodendrocytes and type 2 astrocytes) were cultivated to investigate the effect of addition of caffeine to the culture medium on glial cell development and secretion of hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid, HA). HA is a glycosaminoglycan, secreted by type 1 astrocytes especially, which is a major component of the extracellular matrix of immature brain involved in morphogenesis and differentiation. Caffeine was added to the culture medium of primary glial cell cultures at concentrations of 102 μM (20 mg/L) or 255 μM (50 mg/L), considered therapeutic and toxic levels, respectively, in human newborns. HA was measured in the culture medium by immunoenzyme assay using sheep brain hyaluronectin, a glycoprotein that exhibits a strong affinity for HA, as probe. In primary glial cell cultures, 102 μM (20 mg/L) caffeine had no visible effect on cell number or on HA secretion. At 255 μM (50 mg/L), there was a significant reduction of cell number (i.e. type 1 astrocytes, O-2A progenitor cells, and progenitor-derived cells) and a significant increase of HA secretion per cell. These results suggest that caffeine at a high concentration in brain could have a prejudicial effect on the number of proliferating glial cells (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) and on the composition of the extracellular matrix, which could affect myelination onset.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Marret, S., Delpech, B., Girard, N. et al. Caffeine Decreases Glial Cell Number and Increases Hyaluronan Secretion in Newborn Rat Brain Cultures. Pediatr Res 34, 716–719 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199312000-00004
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199312000-00004
This article is cited by
-
Impact of daily high-dose caffeine exposure on developing white matter of the immature ovine brain
Pediatric Research (2014)