Blockade of PARP activity attenuates poly(ADP‐ribosyl)ation but offers only partial neuroprotection against NMDA‐induced cell death in the rat retina

Recent reports have linked neuronal cell death by necrosis to poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase‐1 (PARP‐1) hyperactivation. It is believed that under stress, the activity of this enzyme is up‐regulated, resulting in extensive poly(ADP‐ribosyl)ation of nuclear proteins, using NAD+ as its substrate, which, in turn, leads to the depletion of NAD+. In efforts to restore the level of NAD+, depletion of ATP occurs, resulting in the shutdown of ATP‐dependent ionic pumps. This results in cell swelling and eventual loss of membrane selectivity, hallmarks of necrosis. Reports from in vitro and in vivo studies in the brain have shown that NMDA receptor activation stimulates PARP activity and that blockade of the enzyme provides substantial neuroprotection. The present study was undertaken to determine whether PARP activity is regulated by NMDA in the rat retina, and whether blockade of PARP activity provides protection against toxic effects of NMDA. Rat retinas exposed to intravitreal injections containing NMDA, with or without the PARP inhibitor N‐(6‐oxo‐5, 6‐dihydrophenanthridin‐2‐yl)‐(N,‐dimethylamino) acetamide hydrochloride (PJ‐34), were assessed for changes in PARP‐1 activity as evidenced by poly(ADP‐ribosyl)ation (PAR), loss of membrane integrity, morphological indicators of apoptosis and necrosis, and ganglion cell loss. Results showed that: NMDA increased PAR formation in a concentration‐dependent manner and caused a decline in retinal ATP levels; PJ‐34 blockade attenuated the NMDA‐induced formation of PAR and decline in ATP; NMDA induced the loss of membrane selectivity to ethidium bromide (EtBr) in inner retinal neurons, but loss of membrane selectivity was not prevented by blocking PARP activity; cells stained with EtBr, or reacted for TUNEL‐labeling, displayed features characteristic of both apoptosis and necrosis. In the presence of PJ‐34, greater numbers of cells exhibited apoptotic features; PJ‐34 provided partial neuroprotection against NMDA‐induced ganglion cell loss. These findings suggest that although blockade of PARP activity fully attenuates NMDA‐induced PAR formation and loss of retinal ATP content, and improves the survival of select populations of ganglion cells, this approach does not provide full neuroprotection. In contrast, blockade of PARP activity promotes apoptotic‐like cell death in the majority of cells undergoing cell death. Furthermore, these studies show that the loss of membrane selectivity is not dependent upon PAR formation or the r