Enhanced Sensitivity of "Metabotropic" Glutamate Receptors After Induction of Long-Term Potentiation in Rat Hippocampus

Stimulation of [3H]inositol monophosphate ([3H]InsP) formation by ibotenate or trans-1-aminocyclopentyl-1,3-dicarboxylic acid (t-ACPD) in rat hippocampal slices was enhanced after tetanic stimulation of the Schaffer collaterals projecting to the CA1 region (in vitro) or the perforant pathway projecting to the dentate gyrus (in freely moving animals). This effect was observed 5 h (but not 2 h) after long-term potentiation (LTP) induction and was abolished if tetanic stimulation was performed in the presence of specific antagonists of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. The delayed increase in excitatory amino acid-induced polyphosphoinositide (PPI) hydrolysis was accompanied by an enhanced responsiveness to norepinephrine, whereas the basal and carbamylcholine-stimulated [3H]InsP formation were unchanged. These results suggest that an increased activity of "metabotropic" glutamate receptors may contribute to the synaptic mechanisms enabling the late expression and or maintenance of LTP. Accordingly, LTP decayed more rapidly (within 5 h) in rats repeatedly injected with LiCl (60-120 mg/kg, i.p., for 10 days), a treatment that led to a reduced efficacy of ibotenate and norepinephrine in stimulating PPI hydrolysis in hippocampal slices.     

Coupling of Inositol Phospholipid Metabolism with Excitatory Amino Acid Recognition Sites in Rat Hippocampus

Ibotenate, a rigid structural analogue of glutamate, markedly enhances the hydrolysis of membrane inositol phospholipids, as reflected by the stimulation of [3H]inositol monophosphate formation in rat hippocampal slices prelabeled with [3H]inositol and treated with Li+. Quisqualate, homocysteate, L-glutamate, and L-aspartate also induce a significant (albeit weaker) increase in [3H]inositol monophosphate formation, whereas N-methyl-D-aspartate, kainate, quinolinate, and N-acetylaspartylglutamate are inactive. The increase in [3H]inositol monophosphate formation elicited by the above-mentioned excitatory amino acids is potently and selectively antagonized by DL-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid, a dicarboxylic amino acid receptor antagonist. These results suggest that, in the hippocampus, a class of dicarboxylic amino acid recognition sites is coupled with phospholipase C, the enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of membrane inositol phospholipids.     

Excitatory amino acid receptor agonists stimulate membrane inositol phospholipid hydrolysis and increase cytoplasmic free Ca2+ in primary cultures of retinal neurons

A variety of neurotransmitters are believed to elicit effects through receptor-stimulated inositol phospholipid metabolism. It appears that most major types of retinal neurons receive a direct glutamatergic input. The aim of the present studies was to characterize excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptor-mediated breakdown of inositol phospholipids and changes in Ca2+ homeostasis in primary avian retinal cell cultures. Cell monolayers, prepared from 8-day-old chick embryo neural retina, were labelled with [3H]inositol for 48 h, and used after 7 days in vitro. Kainic acid stimulated the accumulation of inositol phosphates in a time- and dose-dependent manner (ED50 = 30 microM). The EAA receptor agonists glutamate, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), ibotenate and quisqualate were all active, with the rank order: glutamate greater than kainate greater than NMDA much greater than ibotenate approximately quisqualate. External Ca2+ was required for these effects. Agonist actions were inhibited by type-specific antagonists, and also Mg2+ in the case of glutamate and NMDA. Glutamate, NMDA and kainate also elevated cytosolic free Ca2+ in individual retinal cells loaded with the Ca2(+)-sensitive dye Fura-2, as assessed by digital fluorescence ratio imaging microscopy. The agonist-induced increases in [Ca2+]i were largely dependent on extracellular Ca2+, independent of membrane depolarization and were blocked by Mg2+ for glutamate and NMDA. These results demonstrate that vertebrate retinal cells possess EAA receptors coupled to intracellular signal transduction pathways.     

Stimulatory and Inhibitory Effects of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate on 3H-Inositol Polyphosphate Accumulation in Rat Cortical Slices

The actions of the excitatory amino acid N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) on the accumulation of 3H-inositol polyphosphate isomers in rat cerebral cortex slices have been examined over short (less than 5 min) incubation periods. NMDA caused the dose-dependent accumulation of only [3H]inositol monophosphate and [3H]inositol bisphosphate (maximal effect between 0.3 and 1 mM), with no increase in [3H]inositol trisphosphate ([3H]InsP3) and [3H]inositol tetrakisphosphate ([3H]InsP4). HPLC analysis confirmed this, showing no increases in the breakdown products of [3H]Ins(1,3,4,5)P4. When present with the muscarinic agonist carbachol (1 mM), high concentrations of NMDA (1 mM) could almost totally inhibit carbachol-induced accumulation of 3H-inositol polyphosphates. In contrast, at lower concentrations of NMDA (10 microM), the inhibitory effect was replaced with a synergistic accumulation of inositol polyphosphates, especially [3H]InsP4 and [3H]InsP3. The inhibitory effects of NMDA were only apparent when extracellular Ca2+ was present, although incubation in media with no added Ca2+ resulted in somewhat reduced stimulatory responses to NMDA alone, but suppressed totally the inhibitory effects of 1 mM NMDA and reduced the synergistic effects of 10 microM NMDA on carbachol responses. These studies, therefore, reveal Ca(2+)-dependent effects of NMDA indicative of indirect mechanisms of action and show that care must be made in interpreting the effects of NMDA on phosphoinositide metabolism unless the inositol polyphosphate composition has been fully characterised.     

Lack of association of epidermal growth factor-, insulin-, and serum-induced mitogenesis with stimulation of phosphoinositide degradation in BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts

The hypothesis that inositol phospholipid degradation is a step in the mechanism by which epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulates mitogenesis in confluent monolayers of quiescent BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts was tested. The maximum mitogenic response (a nearly 30-fold increase in incorporation of [3H]thymidine) occurred at 1 ng/ml EGF (0.16 nM). This degree of stimulation corresponded to 60% of that elicited by 10% serum. To determine whether EGF stimulated formation of inositol phosphates via degradation of polyphosphoinositides, the intracellular levels of [3H] inositol phosphates and [3H]phosphoinositides were determined after EGF addition to BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts prelabeled with [3H]inositol. These experiments were performed under conditions designed to mimic exactly those conditions used to study mitogenesis. The results demonstrated that 10% serum or 10 ng/ml of platelet-derived growth factor, but not as much as 50 ng/ml EGF or 10 micrograms/ml insulin, increased the levels of inositol phosphates via degradation of phosphoinositides in the presence of 10 mM Li+. The serum-induced effects occurred in 30 s, the earliest time investigated. Phorbol dibutyrate (100 nM), alone or in conjunction with EGF (10 ng/ml), failed to stimulate inositol phospholipid degradation. However, phorbol dibutyrate inhibited the serum-induced stimulation. Finally, fetal bovine serum dialyzed so as to retain peptide mitogens lost almost 70% of the capacity to stimulate degradation of inositol phospholipids while remaining as mitogenic as the control serum. Thus, stimulation of inositol phospholipid degradation is an unlikely component in the mechanism by which EGF and probably insulin and serum stimulate mitogenesis in BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts.     

Characterization of agonist-stimulated incorporation of myo-[3H]inositol into inositol phospholipids and [3H]inositol phosphate formation in tracheal smooth muscle.

The effects of the muscarinic agonist carbachol, histamine and bradykinin on incorporation of [3H]inositol into the phosphoinositides and the formation of [3H]InsPs were examined in bovine tracheal smooth-muscle (BTSM) slices labelled with [3H]inositol. These agonists result in substantial and dose-related increases in the incorporation of [3H]inositol into the phospholipids. Carbachol and histamine stimulated the incorporation of [3H]inositol into the phospholipids to the same degree, despite histamine being only 35% as effective as carbachol on [3H]InsP accumulation. Histamine and carbachol, at maximal concentrations, were non-additive with respect to both the stimulated incorporation of [3H]inositol and [3H]InsP formation. For carbachol this effect on incorporation was found to occur to a similar extent in PtdInsP and PtdInsP2 as well as PtdIns. The initial effect of carbachol on [3H]inositol incorporation was rapid (maximal by 10 min); however, with prolonged stimulation large secondary declines in PtdInsP and PtdInsP2 labelling were observed, with depletion of the much larger PtdIns pool only evident in the presence of Li+. Lowering buffer [Ca2+] increased the incorporation of [3H]inositol under basal conditions, but did not attenuate the subsequent agonist-stimulated incorporation effect. The large changes in specific radioactivity of the phosphoinositides, and consequently the [3H]InsP products, after carbachol stimulation resulted in the apparent failure of atropine to reverse the [3H]InsP response completely. Labelling muscle slices with [3H]inositol in the presence of carbachol or labelling for longer periods (greater than 6 h) prevented subsequent carbachol-stimulated effects on incorporation without significantly altering the dose-response relationship for carbachol-stimulated [3H]InsP formation and resulted in steady-state labelling conditions confirmed by the ability of atropine to reverse fully the [3H]InsP response to carbachol. This study demonstrates the profound effects of a number of agonists on [3H]inositol incorporation into the phospho- and polyphosphoinositides in BTSM with important consequent changes in the specific radioactivity of these lipids and the resulting [3H]InsP products. In addition, a selective depletion of PtdInsP and PtdInsP2 over PtdIns has been demonstrated with prolonged muscarinic-receptor stimulation.     

Inhibition of Excitatory Amino Acid-Stimulated Phosphoinositide Hydrolysis in the Neonatal Rat Hippocampus by 2-Amino-3-Phosphonopropionate

The effects of excitatory amino acid agonists and alpha-amino-omega-phosphonocarboxylic acid antagonists on phosphoinositide hydrolysis in hippocampal slices of the 7-day neonatal rat were examined. Significant stimulation of [3H]inositol monophosphate formation was observed with ibotenate, quisqualate, L-glutamate, L-aspartate, alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid, L-homocysteate, and kainate. N-Methyl-D-aspartate had no effect. Of these agonists, ibotenate and quisqualate were the most potent and efficacious. Stimulations by ibotenate and quisqualate were partially inhibited by L-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate (10(-3) M), but this antagonist had no effect on L-glutamate, alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid, or kainate. At 10(-3) M, D,L-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionate completely inhibited ibotenate and quisqualate stimulations, partially inhibited L-glutamate stimulation, and had no effect on alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid-, kainate-, or carbachol-induced [3H]inositol monophosphate formation. Concentration-effect experiments showed D,L-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionate to be five times more potent as an antagonist of ibotenate-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis than L-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate. Thus in the neonatal rat hippocampus, like in the adult rat brain, D,L-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionate is a selective and relatively potent inhibitor of excitatory amino acid-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis. Because this glutamate receptor is uniquely sensitive to D,L-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionate, these studies provide further pharmacological evidence for the existence of a novel excitatory amino acid receptor subtype that is coupled to phosphoinositide hydrolysis in brain.     

Presynaptic Glutamate/Quisqualate Receptors: Effects on Synaptosomal Free Calcium Concentrations

Intracellular free [Ca2+]i was measured using fura-2 in synaptosomes prepared from cerebral cortices of adult male rats (12 weeks). L-(+)-Glutamate, D-(-)-glutamate, and quisqualate produced similar dose-dependent increases in [Ca2+]i, with EC50 values of 0.38 microM, 0.74 microM, and 0.1 microM, respectively, and maximum increases of approximately 40%. Ibotenate showed less affinity (EC50 4.4 microM) but had a greater maximum effect (57%). N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) did not increase [Ca2+]i. The increases in [Ca2+]i induced by quisqualate and ibotenate were not diminished in the absence of extrasynaptosomal Ca2+. L-2-Amino-4-phosphonobutyrate (L-AP4) (1 microM) completely blocked the changes in [Ca2+]i induced by L-(+)-glutamate, D-(-)-glutamate, quisqualate, or ibotenate. The effects of quisqualate and ibotenate on [Ca2+]i were also blocked by coincubation of synaptosomes with L-(+)-serine-O-phosphate (L-SP) (1 mM) (which, like L-AP4, blocks the effects of quisqualate and ibotenate on inositol phospholipid metabolism). 6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) had no effect on agonist-mediated increases in [Ca2+]i when coincubated with either quisqualate or ibotenate. These data are consistent with the existence of presynaptic glutamate receptors (of the excitatory amino acid metabotropic type) which activate phospholipase C leading to the elevation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores.     

Pharmacological characterization of metabotropic glutamate receptors in cultured cerebellar granule cells

A detailed pharmacological characterization of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR) was performed in primary cultures of cerebellar granule cells at 6 days in vitro (DIV). The rank order of agonists induced polyphosphoinositide (PPI) hydrolysis (after correcting for the ionotropic component in the response) was as follows: in terms of efficiency, Glu>quisqualate (quis)=ibotenate (ibo)>(1_S,3_R)-1-amino-cyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid (ACPD)>-methyl-amino-l-alanine (BMAA) and in terms of potency, quis>ACPD>Glu>ibo=BMAA. Ionotropic excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptor agonists, such as -amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) were relatively inactive (in the presence of Mg²⁺). Quis and ACPD-induced PPI hydrolysis was unaffected by ionotropic Glu receptor antagonists, but was inhibited, in part by L-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionate (AP3). In contrast, Glu-or ibo- induced PPI hydrolysis was reduced, in part, by both AP3 and NMDA receptor antagonists. Characteristic interactions involving different transmitter receptors were noted. PPI hydrolysis evoked by quis and 1_S,3_R-ACPD was not additive. In contrast, PPI hydrolysis stimulated by quis/ACPD and carbamylcholine was additive (indicating different receptors/transduction pathways). In the presence of Mg²⁺, the metabotropic response to quis/AMPA and NMDA was synergistic (this being consistent with AMPA receptor-induced depolarization activating NMDA receptor). On the other hand, in Mg²⁺-free buffer the effects of quis and NMDA, at concentrations causing maximal PPI hydrolysis, were additive (indicating that PPI hydrolysis was effected by two different mechanisms). Thus, in cerebellar granule cells EAAs elicit PPI hydrolysis by acting at two distinct receptor types: (i) metabotropic Glu receptors (mGluR), with pharmacological characteristics suggesting the expression of a unique mGluR receptor that shows certain similarities to those observed for the mGluR1 subtype (Aramori and Nakanishi, 1992) and (ii) NMDA receptors. The physiological agonist, Glu, is able to stimulate both receptor classes.Abbreviations ACPD (1_S,3_R)-1-amino-cyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid - AMPA -amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid - AP₃ L-2-amino-3-phosphono-propionate - AP₅ D-2-amino-5-phosphonopentenoate - BMAA -methyl-amino-L-alanine - DIV days in vitro - DNOX 6,7-dinitroouinoxoline-2,3-dione - EAA excitatory amino acids - Glu glutamate - InsP inositol monophosphate - mGluR metabotropic glutamate receptors - MK-801 (+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]-cyclohept-5,10-imine hydrogen maleate - NMDA N-methyl-D-aspartate - PPI polyphosphoinositide - quis quisqualate     

Phorbol Esters Attenuate Glutamate-Stimulated Inositol Phospholipid Hydrolysis in Neuronal Cultures

The phorbol diesters 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate, but not 4-alpha-phorbol-didecanoate, inhibited the stimulation of inositol phospholipid hydrolysis by excitatory amino acids and carbamylcholine in primary cultures of cerebellar neurons. This inhibition was mimicked by the synthetic diacylglycerol 1,2-dioleoyl-rac-glycerol (DOG) and was selective for a specific glutamate-phosphoinositide receptor subtype (GP2 receptor) activated by glutamate and quisqualate. TPA was nearly inactive in inhibiting the stimulation of inositol phospholipid hydrolysis by N-methyl-D-aspartate, a selective agonist of the GP1 receptor. Phorbol diesters and DOG attenuated the stimulation of inositol phospholipid hydrolysis by glutamate and quisqualate also in cerebellar slices from 9-15-day-old rats; however, using this preparation, their action was weak and required high concentrations (greater than 1 microM). The inhibition of signal transduction by phorbol diesters was not consequent to a reduced binding of glutamate to its membrane recognition sites. In fact, TPA induced only a small increase in the KD but no change in the Bmax of [3H]glutamate binding in cerebellar membranes. Phorbol diesters may act to inhibit specific GTP-binding proteins or particular molecular forms of phosphoinositidase C associated with GP2 or muscarinic cholinergic receptors.     

Extracellular ATP stimulates poly(inositol phospholipid) hydrolysis and eicosanoid synthesis in mouse peritoneal macrophages in culture

The effects of extracellular ATP on inositol phospholipid breakdown and synthesis of eicosanoids were studied in mouse peritoneal macrophages. Addition of ATP to intact cells labelled with [3H]inositol stimulated a rapid (within 10 s) formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate. In parallel there was also a substantial accumulation of inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate and the monophosphate and bisphosphate derivatives of inositol. Within 10 s after the addition of 30 microM ATP there was a twofold increase in inositol trisphosphate (InsP3), which declined over 2 min. The ED50 for ATP-stimulated generation of InsP3 was approximately 12 microM. ADP and GTP showed only weak effects on InsP3 formation, while AMP and adenosine were completely ineffective at 30 microM. Furthermore, the rank order of potency of ATP analogues was ATP greater than ATP[S] greater than AdoPP[NH]P = AdoPP[CH2]P greater than AdoP[CH2]PP thus, indicating the presence of a P2y-purinergic receptor. Cells labelled with [3H]arachidonic acid showed a 50% increase of label in 1,2-diacylglycerol after 15 s upon stimulation with ATP. In parallel to the stimulation of inositol phospholipid hydrolysis, ATP also caused a marked synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and leukotriene C4 (LTC4) in mouse peritoneal macrophages. The rank order of potency of ATP analogues was identical with that of InsP3 generation. The effect on eicosanoid synthesis could be mimicked by the calcium ionophore A23187 and the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate. These results suggest that ATP-induced activation of P2y-purinergic receptors in mouse peritoneal macrophages triggers inositol phospholipid breakdown and eicosanoid synthesis.     

Metabolism of inositol pentakisphosphate to inositol hexakisphosphate in Xenopus laevis oocytes

The formation and metabolism of inositol pentakis-and hexakisphosphates (InsP5 and InsP6) were investigated in Xenopus laevis oocytes. After [3H]inositol injection, [3H]InsP5 and subsequently [3H]Insp6 increased progressively over 72 h. In intact oocytes, [3H]InsP5 was progressively converted to [3H]InsP6 from 6 to 72 h of incubation and was not metabolized to lower inositol phosphates. In contrast, [3H]InsP6 remained unmetabolized for up to 72 h. These data are consistent with the kinetics of the increases in [3H]InsP5 and [3H]InsP6 in [3H]inositol-labeled oocytes. The highly phosphorylated inositols showed significant changes during oogenesis and maturation. In oocytes incubated for 48 h after [3H]inositol injection, the radioactive incorporation into polyphosphoinositols increased progressively from stage 3 to stage 6, with 5- and 6-fold rises (cpm/mg protein) for [3H]InsP5 and [3H]InsP6, respectively. These developmental changes were associated with 5-fold increases in [3H]inositol tetrakisphosphate between stages 3 and 6 of oogenesis. Induction of oocyte maturation by progesterone (1 microM) during the last 12 of a 36-h incubation with [3H]inositol doubled the levels of [3H]InsP6 relative to [3H]InsP5, suggesting that the activity of inositol pentakisphosphate kinase increases during maturation. These results provide direct evidence for metabolic conversion of InsP5 to InsP6 in animal cells and show that the higher inositol polyphosphates, unlike the lower phosphoinositols, are extraordinarily stable. These species increase markedly during ovum development and may play a regulatory role in oogenesis and maturation.     

Inositol polyphosphates are not increased by overexpression of Ins(1,4,5)P3 3-kinase but show cell-cycle dependent changes in growth factor-stimulated fibroblasts.

NIH 3T3 fibroblasts were stably transfected with rat brain inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3) 3-kinase to explore the relationship between increased production of Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 and the formation of InsP5 and InsP6. Mass measurements of InsP5 and InsP6 revealed no significant difference between kinase- and vector-transfected fibroblasts. However, such 3-kinase-transfected cells, when labeled with [3H]inositol for 48-72 h, showed lower levels of [3H]InsP5 and [3H]InsP6, as well as [3H]Ins(1,3,4,6)P4 and D/L[3H]Ins(1,4,5,6)P4, than their vector-transfected counterparts. Because Ins(1,4,5)P3 3-kinase-transfected cells grew less rapidly than vector-transfected controls, we determined whether the synthesis of InsP5 and InsP6 was related to a specific phase of the cell cycle. When NIH 3T3 cells prelabeled with [3H]inositol were synchronized by serum deprivation followed by stimulation with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), the amounts of labeled InsP5 and InsP6 began to increase only after 12 h of stimulation, when cells entered the S-phase as indicated by increased [3H]thymidine incorporation. The enhanced synthesis of these inositol polyphosphates was preceded by an early increase in Ins(1,4,5)P3 and its metabolites that was no longer evident by the fifth hour of PDGF action. There was also a prominent and biphasic increase in the level of D/L-Ins(1,4,5,6)P4 with an early peak at approximately 3 h and a second rise that paralleled the increases in InsP5 and InsP6. These results indicate that the formation of highly phosphorylated inositols is not tightly coupled to the receptor-mediated formation of Ins(1,4,5)P3 and its metabolites but is mainly determined by other factors that operate at specific points of the cell cycle.     

Synergistic actions of cytokines and growth factors in enhancing porcine granulosa cell growth.

In our studies of the growth-promoting effect of a cytokine, interleukin-1 (IL-1), on cultured porcine granulosa cells, we found that the potency of IL-1 action correlated with the serum concentration in the culture medium and that IL-1 acted synergistically with insulin to increase the number of cells in the presence of low serum concentrations (0.1-1%). With granulosa cells maintained in a quiescent state under serum-free conditions, we therefore examined the effects of combined treatment with IL-1 and peptide growth factors, including insulin, on [3H]thymidine incorporation by these cells. IL-1 by itself enhanced [3H]thymidine incorporation in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, IL-1 acted synergistically with insulin, epidermal growth factor (EGF), or fibroblast growth factor (FGF) to enhance [3H]thymidine incorporation. Combinations of maximally effective concentrations of insulin (1 micrograms/ml), EGF (1 ng/ml), or FGF (50 ng/ml) with the maximally effective concentration of IL-1 (10 ng/ml) increased the levels of [3H]thymidine incorporation to 10-, 22-, and 20-fold, respectively, over the control values. Whereas IL-2 (0.1-100 ng/ml) did not affect [3H]thymidine incorporation, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) stimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation by itself and reproduced the actions of IL-1 to act synergistically with insulin, EGF, or FGF. When IL-1 and TNF alpha were added together in relatively low concentrations (1 ng/ml each), the combination had synergistic effects in enhancing [3H]thymidine incorporation. The present study demonstrates that cytokines and peptide growth factors act synergistically to markedly enhance porcine granulosa cell growth in vitro.     

Role of Astrocytes in Depolarization-Coupled Release of Glutamate in Cerebellar Cultures

Release of preloaded D-[3H]aspartate in response to depolarization induced by high potassium, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA) or the endogenous agonist glutamate was studied using cultured glutamatergic cerebellar granule neurons, cerebellar astrocytes, and corresponding cocultures. Release from the vesicular and the cytoplasmic glutamate pools, respectively, was distinguished employing the competitive, non-transportable glutamate transport inhibitor DL-threo-beta-benzyloxyaspartate (DL-TBOA). The results indicate that the release in response to AMPA (30 microM) in the presence of cyclothiazide (50 microM) to block desensitization, was of a vesicular origin. Pulses of 55 mM K+ caused a DL-TBOA resistant efflux of preloaded D-[3H]aspartate from astrocytes, indicating that this release was not mediated by glutamate transporters. The results furthermore support the notion of an important function of the astrocytes in the uptake of released glutamate, because DL-TBOA caused a large, apparent increase in the depolarization-coupled release of preloaded D-[3H]aspartate in the cocultures, compared to neuronal monocultures.     

Modulation of carbachol-stimulated inositol phospholipid hydrolysis in rat cerebral cortex

Cortical slices from rat brain were used to study carbachol-stimulated inositol phospholipid hydrolysis. Omission of calcium during incubation of slices with [³H]inositol increased its incorporation into receptor-coupled phospholipids. Carbachol-stimulated hydrolysis of [³H]inositol phospholipids in slices was dose-dependent, was affected by the concentrations of calcium and lithium present and resulted in the accumulation of mostly [³H]inositol-l-phosphate. Incubation of slices withN-ethylmaleimide or a phorbol ester reduced the response to carbachol. Membranes prepared from cortical slices labeled with [³H]inositol retained the receptor-stimulated inositol phospholipid hydrolysis reaction. The basal rate of inositol phospholipid hydrolysis was higher than in slices and addition of carbachol further stimulated the process. Addition of GTP stimulated inositol phospholipid hydrolysis, suggesting the presence of a guanine nucleotide-binding protein coupled to phospholipase C. Carbachol and GTP-stimulated inositol phospholipid hydrolysis in membranes was detectable following a 3 min assay period. In contrast to slices, increased levels of inositol bisphosphate and inositol trisphosphate were detected following incubation of membranes with carbachol. These results demonstrate that agonist-responsive receptors are present in cortical membranes, that the receptors may be coupled to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, rather than phosphatidylinositol, hydrolysis and that a guanine nucleotide-binding protein may mediate the coupling of receptor activation to inositol phospholipid hydrolysis in brain.     

Effects of guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate and thrombin on the phosphoinositide metabolism of electropermeabilized human platelets

Incubation of human platelets with myo-[3H]inositol in a low-glucose Tyrode's solution containing MnCl2 enhanced the labelling of phosphoinositides about sevenfold and greatly facilitated the measurement of [3H]inositol phosphates formed by the activation of phospholipase C. Labelled platelets were permeabilized by high-voltage electric discharges and equilibrated at 0 degree C with ATP, Ca2+ buffers and guanine nucleotides, before incubation in the absence or presence of thrombin. Incubation of these platelets with ATP in the presence or absence of Ca2+ ions led to the conversion of [3H]phosphatidylinositol to [3H]phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and [3H]phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate ([3H]PtdInsP2). At a pCa of 6, addition of 100 microM GTP[gamma S] both prevented this accumulation of [3H]PtdInsP2 and stimulated its breakdown; the formation of [3H]inositol phosphates was increased ninefold. After 5 min these comprised 70% [3H]inositol monophosphate ([3H]InsP), 28% [3H]inositol bisphosphate ([3H]InsP2) and 2% [3H]inositol trisphosphate ([3H]InsP3). In shorter incubations higher percentages of [3H]InsP2 and [3H]InsP3 were found. In the absence of added Ca2+, the formation of [3H]inositol phosphates was decreased by over 90%. Incubation of permeabilized platelets with GTP[gamma S] in the presence of 10 mM Li+ decreased the accumulation of [3H]InsP and increased that of [3H]InsP2, without affecting [3H]InsP3 levels. Addition of unlabelled InsP3 decreased the intracellular hydrolysis of exogenous [32P]InsP3 but did not trap additional [3H]InsP3. These results and the time course of [3H]inositol phosphate formation suggest that GTP[gamma S] stimulated the action of phospholipase C on a pool of [3H]phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate that was otherwise converted to [3H]PtdInsP2 and that much less hydrolysis of [3H]phosphatidylinositol to [3H]InsP or of [3H]PtdInsP2 to [3H]InsP3 occurred. At a pCa of 6, addition of thrombin (2 units/ml) to permeabilized platelets caused small increases in the formation of [3H]InsP and [3H]InsP2. This action of thrombin was enhanced twofold by 10-100 microM GTP and much more potently by 4-40 microM GTP[gamma S]. In the presence of the latter, thrombin also increased [3H]InsP3. The total formation of [3H]inositol phosphates by permeabilized platelets incubated with thrombin and GTP[gamma S] was comparable with that observed on addition of thrombin alone to intact platelets. However, HPLC of the [3H]inositol phosphates formed indicated that about 75% of the [3H]InsP accumulating in permeabilized platelets was the 4-phosphate, whereas in intact platelets stimulated by thrombin, up to 80% was the 1-phosphate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Possible role of cGMP in excitatory amino acid induced cytotoxicity in cultured cerebral cortical neurons

Using cultured cerebral cortical neurons at mature stages (9 days in culture, d.i.c.) it was demonstrated that glutamate, NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) and to a lesser extent KA (kainate) increase the intracellular cGMP concentration ([cGMP]_i) whereas no such effect was observed after exposure of the cells of QA (quisqualate) and AMPA (2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazol-4-yl)propionate). No effect of glutamate, NMDA and KA was observed in immature neurons (2 d.i.c.). The pharmacology of these cGMP responses was investigated using the glutamate antagonists APV (2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate) with selectivity for NMDA receptors, CNQX (6-cyano-7-nitro-quinoxaline-2,3-dione) with selectivity for non-NMDA receptors and the novel KA selective antagonists AMOA (2-amino-3-[3-(carboxymethoxy)-5-methylisoxazol-4-yl]propionate) and AMNH (2-amino-3-[2-(3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazol-4-yl)methyl-5-methyl-3-oxoisoxazolin-4-yl]propionate). In addition, the cytotoxicity of glutamate, NMDA and KA was studied and found to be enhanced by addition of the non-metabolizable cGMP analogue 8-Br-cGMP. On the contrary, the toxicity of QA and AMPA was not affected by 8-Br-cGMP. Pertussis toxin augmented the toxicity elicited by glutamate, NMDA, KA and QA but not that induced by AMPA. On the other hand, only glutamate and KA induced toxicity was potentiated by cholera toxin, which also enhanced the stimulatory effect of glutamate and NMDA but not that of KA on the cellular cGMP content. The toxicity as well as the effects on intracellular cGMP levels could be antagonized by the specific excitatory amino acid (EAA) antagonists. These results suggest that the mechanisms by which the various excitatory amino acids exert cytotoxicity are different, and that increased cGMP levels may participate in the mediation of glutamate, NMDA or KA induced toxicity but less likely in QA and AMPA mediated toxicity. Furthermore, G-proteins or other pertussis or cholera toxin sensitive entities seem to be involved in the cytotoxic action of all excitatory amino acids except AMPA.     

Non-NMDA excitatory amino acid receptors in a subcellular fraction enriched in cerebellar glomeruli

In the internal granular layer of the cerebellar cortex the polysynaptic complexes called glomeruli consist mainly of homogeneous populations of glutamatergic and GABAergic synapses, both located on granule cell dendrites. A subcellular fraction enriched in glomeruli was prepared from rat cerebellum, and the distribution of the different types of NMDA and non-NMDA glutamate binding sites was studied in the membranes derived from this fraction (fraction G) as compared to that in the membranes prepared from a total cerebellar homogenate (fraction T). Cl^–/Ca²⁺ independent [³H]glutamate binding sites were not abundant and could be reliably measured only in fraction G. Cl^– dependent/Ca²⁺ activated [³H]glutamate binding sites were more abundant and exhibited a single K _d in both fractions G and T. Quisqualate, NMDA, kainate, L-AP4 andtrans-ACPD inhibited [³H]glutamate binding to different extents in the two membrane fractions. Quisqualate sensitive sites were predominant in all cases but more abundant in fraction T than in fraction G. An opposite distribution was observed for the NMDA sensitive binding sites while kainate sensitive binding sites were scarce everywhere.Trans-ACPD, a ligand presumed selective for metabotropic glutamate binding sites, displaced [³H]glutamate from fraction T but nor from fraction G, suggesting the absence of these sites from glomeruli. Similarly, no L-AP4 sensitive sites were present in fraction G while they were abundant in fraction T. Binding sites associated with ionotropic receptors of the quisqualate type were determined by measuring [³H]AMPA binding. The density of the high affinity [³H]AMPA binding sites in fraction T was twice as high as in fraction G, indicating that these sites are abundant in structures other than glomeruli. High-affinity [³H]kainate binding sites are more abundant in fraction G than in fraction T; the same, but with smaller differences, occurs for the distribution of the low affinity [³H]kainate binding sites. The density of the latter sites is close to that of the high affinity [³H]AMPA binding sites confirming the presence of quisqualate/kainate receptors on granule cells, as previously hypothesized (for review, see Gallo et al., 1990). Taken together, these results indicate a segregation of the glutamate binding sites types at specialized synapses or neuronal cell types in the cerebellar network.Abbreviations AMPA (RS)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid - DL-AP4 dl-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid - D-AP5 d-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid - EAA excitatory amino acid - EGTA ethylene glycol-bis(-aminoethyle ether) N,N,N,N-tetracetic acid - NMDA N-methyl-D-aspartate - Quisqualate -[3,5-dioxo-1,2,4-oxadiazolidin-2-yl]-L-alanine - trans-ACPD trans-1-amino-cyclopentyl-1,3-dicarboxylic acid     

Biochemical characterization of an autoradiographic method for studying excitatory amino acid receptors using L-[3H]glutamate

A method was developed for radiolabeling excitatory amino acid receptors of rat brain with L-[3H]glutamate. Effective labeling of glutamate receptors in slide-mounted 10-microns sections was obtained using a low incubation volume (0.15 ml) and rapid washing: a procedure where high ligand concentrations were achieved with minimal waste. Saturation experiments using [3H]glutamate revealed a single binding site of micromolar affinity. The Bmax was trebled in the presence of Ca2+ (2.5 mM) and Cl- (20 mM) with no change in the Kd. Binding was rapid, saturable, stereospecific, and sensitive to glutamate receptor agonists. The proportions of [3H]glutamate binding sensitive to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), kainate, and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) were 34, 54, and 51%, respectively. NMDA inhibited binding at a distinct subset of L-[3H]glutamate sites, whereas AMPA and kainate competed for some common sites. Labeling of sections with L-[3H]glutamate in the presence of the selective agonists allowed autoradiographic visualization of glutamate receptor subtypes in brain tissue.