Toxic NMDA-Receptor Activation Occurs During Recovery in a Tissue Culture Model of Ischemia

Abstract: In some animal models of reversible ischemia, there is a therapeutic window during early recovery when glutamate receptor antagonists can rescue neurons from injury. We have previously reported that organotypic cultures of the hippocampus can be protected by NMDA-receptor antagonists during recovery from a brief period of simulated ischemia. To model ischemia, we have used potassium cyanide to inhibit oxidative metabolism and 2-deoxyglucose to inhibit glycolysis. To study the time course and mechanisms of delayed NMDA-receptor toxicity in more detail, we have extended these studies to dissociated cortical cultures. Injury was assessed by release of lactate dehydrogenase into the culture medium. Metabolic inhibition for 15 min caused dose-dependent injury. Morphologic signs of neuronal toxicity were delayed until the recovery period. MK-801 reduced injury significantly when present throughout the experiment. Surprisingly, MK-801 provided the same protection when administration was delayed until after the end of the metabolic inhibition, blocking NMDA receptors only during recovery. To examine NMDA toxicity during metabolic inhibition, the competitive NMDA-receptor antagonist 3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid was added during exposure. The protective effect of NMDA-receptor blockade was completely lost if the antagonist was removed during 1 min of continuing selective inhibition of oxidative metabolism. The toxic potency and effectiveness of glutamate were enhanced during metabolic inhibition, showing that receptors were not inactivated by simulated ischemia. These results are consistent with the specific hypothesis that return of oxidative metabolism triggers a critical period of toxic NMDA-receptor activation.     

Glutamate Induces Glutathione Efflux Mediated by Glutamate/Aspartate Transporter in Retinal Cell Cultures

This study was undertaken in order to characterize the role of the glutamate/aspartate transporter (GLAST) in the glutathione (GSH) efflux induced by glutamate. Our results demonstrated that retinal cell cultures exhibit two mechanisms of GSH release, one Na⁺-independent and other Na⁺-dependent. Glutamate and aspartate induced GSH efflux only in presence of Na⁺. Treatment with PCD (L-trans-Pyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylate), a transportable glutamate uptake blocker, increased GSH release indicating that GSH can be carried by glutamate transporters in retinal cell cultures. Added to this, treatment with zinc ion cultures, a recognized inhibitor of GLAST blocked GSH efflux evoked by glutamate. Treatment with NMDA antagonist (MK-801) did not have any effect on the GSH release induced by glutamate. These results suggest that glutamate induces GLAST-mediated release of GSH from retinal cell cultures and this could represent an important mechanism of cellular protection against glutamate toxicity in the CNS.     

Stimulation of Dopamine Release from Cultured Rat Mesencephalic Cells by Naturally Occurring Excitatory Amino Acids: Involvement of Both N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) and Non-NMDA Receptor Subtypes

In rat mesencephalic cell cultures, L-glutamate at concentrations ranging from 100 microM to 1 mM stimulated release of [3H]dopamine that was attenuated by the non-N-methyl-D-aspartate (non-NMDA) receptor antagonist 6,7-dinitroquinoxalinedione, but not by the selective NMDA receptor antagonists (+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine hydrogen maleate (MK-801; 10 microM) and 3-(2-carboxypiperazine-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonate (300 microM). Even at 1 mM glutamate, this release was Ca2+ dependent. These observations suggest that the release was mediated by a non-NMDA receptor. Only release stimulated by a lower concentration (10 microM) of glutamate was inhibited by MK-801 (10 microM), indicating that glutamate at this concentration activates the NMDA receptor. By contrast, L-aspartate at concentrations of 10 microM to 1 mM evoked [3H]dopamine release that was completely inhibited by MK-801 (10 microM) and was also Ca2+ dependent (tested at 1 and 10 mM aspartate). Thus, effects of aspartate involved activation of the NMDA receptor. Sulfur-containing amino acids (L-homocysteate, L-homocysteine sulfinate, L-cysteate, L-cysteine sulfinate) also evoked [3H]dopamine release. Release evoked by submillimolar concentrations of these amino acids was attenuated by MK-801 (10 microM), indicating involvement of the NMDA receptor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid on the glutamatergic neurotransmission

The haem precursor 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) has been proposed to be involved in the neurological dysfunctions presented by patients with acute porphyrias. The effects of ALA on the [3H]glutamate and [3H]MK-801 (dizocilpine) binding to rat cortical membranes and on [3H]glutamate uptake by rat astrocyte cultures were evaluated in the present study in order to elucidate the interaction of ALA with the glutamatergic system and its possible contribution to the in vivo excitatory properties of ALA. ALA (0-1mM) did not affect the binding of 100 nM [3H]glutamate, nor the equilibrium binding constants (K(d) and B(max)) of this neurotransmitter in rat or human cortical membranes. The binding of the NMDA-channel blocker, [3H]MK-801, was not affected by ALA (0-10mM) either. ALA (0-3mM) dose-dependently inhibited glutamate uptake by astrocyte cultures. ALA significantly reduced both the K(m) and V(max) of glutamate uptake indicating an uncompetitive inhibition. The inhibitory effect was irreversible and apparently related to the selective inhibition of the GLT-1 (EAAT2) subtype of glutamate transporter. The finding that ALA significantly increased astrocyte lipoperoxidation in astrocytes incubated under these conditions suggests that the inhibitory effect of ALA might be related to an oxidative damage of the transporter. We propose that the inhibition of glutamate uptake may underlie ALA-induced convulsions.     

Neuroprotective Effects of NMDA Receptor Glycine Recognition Site Antagonism: Dependence on Glycine Concentration

Abstract: High-affinity NMDA receptor glycine recognition site antagonists protect brain tissue from ischemic damage. The neuroprotective effect of 5-nitro-6,7-dichloro-2,3-quinoxalinedione (ACEA 1021), a selective NMDA receptor antagonist with nanomolar affinity for the glycine binding site, was examined in rat cortical mixed neuronal/glial cultures. ACEA 1021 alone did not alter spontaneous lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Treatment with ACEA 1021 (0.1–10 µ M ) before 500 µ M glutamate, 30 µ M NMDA, or 300 µ M kainate exposure was found to reduce LDH release in a concentration-dependent fashion. These effects were altered by adding glycine to the medium. Glycine (1 m M ) partially reversed the effect of ACEA 1021 on kainate cytotoxicity. Glycine (100 µ M –1 m M ) completely blocked the effects of ACEA 1021 on glutamate and NMDA cytotoxicity. The glycine concentration that produced a half-maximal potentiation of excitotoxin-induced LDH release in the presence of 1.0 µ M ACEA 1021 was similar for glutamate and NMDA (18 ± 3 and 29 ± 9 µ M , respectively). ACEA 1021 also reduced kainate toxicity in cultures treated with MK-801. The effects of glycine and ACEA 1021 on glutamate-induced LDH release were consistent with a model of simple competitive interaction for the strychnine-insensitive NMDA receptor glycine recognition site, although nonspecific effects at the kainate receptor may be of lesser importance.     

Characterization of LY231617 protection against hydrogen peroxide toxicity

The compound LY231617 [2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-[[(1-ethyl)amino]methyl]phenol hydrochloride] has been reported to afford significant neuroprotection against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced toxicity in vitro and global ischemia in vivo. We now report on further mechanistic studies of H2O2 toxicity and protection by LY231617. Brief exposure to H2O2 (15 min) elicited an oxidative insult comparable with that generated by overnight treatment. H2O2-mediated cellular degeneration was characterized using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, changes in total glutathione, and a new marker of oxidative stress, 8-epiprostaglandin F2alpha (8-isoprostane). LY231617 attenuated H2O2-mediated degeneration under a variety of exposure conditions, including a more clinically relevant posttreatment paradigm. Levels of 8-isoprostane paralleled LDH release under various treatment paradigms of 100 microM H2O2 +/- 5 microM drug. In contrast, despite affording significant protection, LY231617 had modest to no effects on cellular levels of glutathione. Taken together, these results are consistent with a membrane site of action for LY231617 and suggest that the compound affords cytoprotection via its antioxidant properties.     

Characterization of iodoacetate-mediated neurotoxicity in vitro using primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule cells

The neuroprotective efficacy of antioxidant molecules against iodoacetate (IAA) neurotoxicity in rat cerebellar granule cell (CGC) cultures was investigated. Transient exposure to IAA caused a concentration-dependent decrease in cell viability (ED50 = 9.8 microM). Dizocilpine maleate (MK-801), and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6-nitro-2,3-dioxobenzo[f]quinoxaline-7-sulfonamide (NBQX), failed to prevent IAA toxicity. Certain antioxidant molecules were shown to be neuroprotective against IAA when combined with MK-801 but were ineffective when administered alone. (S)-(-)-Trolox, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and U-83836E exhibited EC50 values of 78, 5.9, and 0.25 microM, respectively, in the presence of 10 microM MK-801. IAA also induced an increase in intracellular oxidative stress, which was quenched by the antioxidants (in the presence of MK-801) in cultures loaded with the oxidant sensitive dye 2'7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA).     

Characterization of the Glutamate Receptors Mediating Release of Somatostatin from Cultured Hippocampal Neurons

Abstract: l -Glutamate, NMDA, dl -α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA), and kainate (KA) increased the release of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SRIF-LI) from primary cultures of rat hippocampal neurons. In Mg²⁺-containing medium, the maximal effects (reached at ∼100 µ M ) amounted to 737% (KA), 722% (glutamate), 488% (NMDA), and 374% (AMPA); the apparent affinities were 22 µ M (AMPA), 39 µ M (glutamate), 41 µ M (KA), and 70 µ M (NMDA). The metabotropic receptor agonist trans -1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylate did not affect SRIF-LI release. The release evoked by glutamate (100 µ M ) was abolished by 10 µ M dizocilpine (MK-801) plus 30 µ M 1-aminophenyl-4-methyl-7,8-methylenedioxy-5 H -2,3-benzodiazepine (GYKI 52466). Moreover, the maximal effect of glutamate was mimicked by a mixture of NMDA + AMPA. The release elicited by NMDA was sensitive to MK-801 but insensitive to GYKI 52466. The AMPA- and KA-evoked releases were blocked by 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX) or by GYKI 52466 but were insensitive to MK-801. The release of SRIF-LI elicited by all four agonists was Ca²⁺ dependent, whereas only the NMDA-evoked release was prevented by tetrodotoxin. Removal of Mg²⁺ caused increase of basal SRIF-LI release, an effect abolished by MK-801. Thus, glutamate can stimulate somatostatin release through ionotropic NMDA and AMPA/KA receptors. Receptors of the KA type (AMPA insensitive) or metabotropic receptors appear not to be involved.     

Anoxia-induced dopamine release from rat striatal slices: involvement of reverse transport mechanism

Incubation of rat striatal slices in the absence of oxygen (anoxia), glucose (aglycemia), or oxygen plus glucose (ischemia) caused significant increases in dopamine (DA) release. Whereas anoxia decreased extracellular 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid levels by 50%, aglycemia doubled it, and ischemia returned this aglycemia-induced enhancement to its control level. Although nomifensine, a DA uptake blocker, completely protected the slices against anoxia-induced DA depletion, aglycemia- and ischemia-induced increases were not altered. Moreover, hypothermia differentially affected DA release stimulated by anoxia, aglycemia, and ischemia. Involvement of glutamate in DA release induced by each experimental condition was tested by using MK-801 and also by comparing the glutamate-induced DA release with that during anoxia, aglycemia, or ischemia. MK-801 decreased the anoxia-induced DA depletion in a dose-dependent manner. This treatment, however, showed a partial protection in aglycemic conditions but failed to improve ischemia-induced DA depletion. Like anoxia, DA release induced by exogenous glutamate was also sensitive to nomifensine and hypothermia. These results indicate that anoxia enhances DA release by a mechanism involving both the reversed DA transporter and endogenous glutamate. Partial or complete lack of effect of nomifensine, hypothermia, or MK-801 in the absence of glucose or oxygen plus glucose also suggests that experimental conditions, such as the degree of anoxia/ischemia, may alter the mechanism(s) involved in DA depletion.     

Prolonged inhibition of glutamate reuptake down-regulates NMDA receptor functions in cultured cerebellar granule cells

In the present study, we have examined the effects of prolonged (up to 72 h) inhibition of high-affinity glutamate reuptake by L-trans-pyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylate (PDC; 100 microM) on glutamate receptor functions in primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule neurons. This was done by comparing the effects of various glutamate receptor agonists on neuronal 45Ca2+ uptake, free cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), and cell viability. We also determined the parameters of[3H]MK-801 binding as well as the expression of the NMDAR1 subunit protein in control and PDC-exposed cultures. The blockade of glutamate reuptake by PDC led to a gradual increase of ambient glutamate to concentrations that are neurotoxic when applied acutely to control cells. In PDC-exposed cells, however, the acute glutamate-induced NMDA receptor-mediated calcium fluxes were strongly diminished and no toxicity was observed. The down-regulation of the functional effects of glutamate was dependent on the duration of PDC exposure and was accompanied by a reduced NMDAR1 subunit expression and decreased [3H]MK-801 binding, indicative of a pronounced structural rearrangement of NMDA receptors. The possibility that the decrease of NMDA glutamate receptor sensitivity can be explained on the basis of a reduced density or altered subunit composition of NMDA receptors is discussed.     

Validation of organotypical hippocampal slice cultures as an ex vivo model of brain ischemia: different roles of NMDA receptors in cell death signalling after exposure to NMDA or oxygen and glucose deprivation

N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are essential mediators of synaptic plasticity under normal physiological conditions. During brain ischemia, these receptors are excessively activated due to glutamate overflow and mediate excitotoxic cell death. Although organotypical hippocampal slice cultures are widely used to study brain ischemia in vitro by induction of oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD), there is scant data regarding expression and functionality of NMDARs in such slice cultures. Here, we have evaluated the contribution of NMDARs in mediating excitotoxic cell death after exposure to NMDA or OGD in organotypical hippocampal slice cultures after 14 days in vitro (DIV14). We found that all NMDAR subunits were expressed at DIV14. The NMDARs were functional and contributed to cell death, as evidenced by use of the NMDAR antagonist MK-801 (dizocilpine). Excitotoxic cell death induced by NMDA could be fully antagonized by 10 μM MK-801, a dose that offered only partial protection against OGD-induced cell death. Very high concentrations of MK-801 (50–100 μM) were required to counteract cell death at long delays (48–72 h) after OGD. The relative high dose of MK-801 needed for long-term protection after OGD could not be attributed to down-regulation of NMDARs at the gene expression level. Our data indicate that NMDAR signaling is just one of several mechanisms underlying ischemic cell death and that prospective cytoprotective therapies must be directed to multiple targets.     

Comparison of the Potency of Competitive NMDA Antagonists Against the Neurotoxicity of Glutamate and NMDA

Abstract: The object of this investigation was to determine whether glutamate uptake affects the apparent potency of the competitive antagonists dl -2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate and CGS-19755 in blocking NMDA receptor-mediated neurotoxicity. In astrocyte-rich rat cortical cultures we observed that dl -2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate and CGS-19755 were 24 and 16 times more potent against NMDA than against glutamate-induced toxicity. In contrast, dl -2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate was equipotent against the two agonists in astrocyte-poor cultures, in which dendrites are directly exposed to the extracellular medium. With the noncompetitive NMDA antagonist MK-801, similar potencies were observed against glutamate (212 ± 16 n M ) and against NMDA (155 ± 9 n M ) neurotoxicity. These results may be explained if we assume that the neuronal cell body is less susceptible than the dendrites to NMDA receptor-mediated toxicity, and that the action of glutamate in astrocyte-rich cultures is confined to the cell body. In this case, one would expect that higher concentrations of glutamate would be needed to produce toxicity in astrocyte-rich cultures, and that higher concentrations of competitive antagonists would be needed to overcome this toxicity. Our observations help explain the pharmacology of the competitive NMDA antagonists against NMDA receptor-mediated neurotoxicity but also suggest the possibility that, because the cell body and dendrites may be distinct sites for neurotoxicity, they might also involve different mechanisms of toxicity.     

Blockade of ionotropic glutamate receptors produces neuronal apoptosis through the Bax-cytochrome C-caspase pathway: the causative role of Ca2+ deficiency

Blockade of ionotropic glutamate receptors induces neuronal cell apoptosis. We investigated if mitochondria-mediated death signals would contribute to neuronal apoptosis following administration of glutamate antagonists. The administration of MK-801 and CNQX (MK-801/CNQX), the selective antagonists of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)/kainate receptors, produced widespread neuronal death in neonatal rat brain and cortical cell cultures. MK-801/CNQX-induced neuronal apoptosis was prevented by zVAD-fmk, a broad inhibitor of caspases, but insensitive to inhibitors of calpain or cathepsin D. Activation of caspase-3 was observed within 6-12 h and sustained over 36 h after exposure to MK-801/CNQX, which cleaved PHF-1 tau, the substrate for caspase-3. Activation of caspase-3 was blocked by high K+ and mimicked by BAPTA-AM, a selective Ca2+ chelator. Reducing extracellular Ca2+, but not Na+, activated caspase-3, suggesting an essential role of Ca2+ deficiency in MK-801/CNQX-induced activation of caspases. Cortical neurons treated with MK-801/CNQX triggered activation of caspase-9, release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, and translocation of Bax into mitochondria. The present study suggests that blockade of ionotropic glutamate receptors causes caspase-3-mediated neuronal apoptosis due to Ca2+ deficiency that is coupled to the sequential mitochondrial death pathway.     

Hypoxic Cell Death in Human NT2-N Neurons: Involvement of NMDA and Non-NMDA Glutamate Receptors

Abstract: Human NTera2 teratocarcinoma cells were differentiated into postmitotic NT2-N neurons and exposed to hypoxia for 6 h. The cultures were evaluated microscopically, and percent lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release after 24 and 48 h was used as an assay for cell death. After 48 h LDH release was 24.3 ± 5.6% versus 13.8 ± 3.7% in controls ( p < 0.001). Cell death was greatly diminished by MK-801 pretreatment (15.4 ± 5.1%, p < 0.001). If glutamate was omitted from the medium, glutamate levels after 6 h of hypoxia were reduced from 101 ± 63 to 2.3 ± 0.3 µ M , and cell death at 48 h was also markedly reduced (15.4 ± 4.5%, p < 0.001). The α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (18.7 ± 5.1%, p < 0.001) and mild hypothermia (33.5–34°C) during hypoxia (19.5 ± 2.75, p < 0.05) were moderately protective. Basic fibroblast growth factor (24.1 ± 3.2%), the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N ^G-nitro- l -arginine methyl ester (22.8 ± 8.1%), the antioxidant N-tert -butyl- o -phenylnitrone (18.9 ± 5.9%), and the 21-aminosteroid U74389G (24.0 ± 3.4%) did not protect the cells. N -Acetyl- l -cysteine even tended to increase cell death (30.1 ± 2.5%, p = 0.06). Treatment with MK-801 at the end of hypoxia did not reduce cell death (23.3 ± 2.3%). In separate experiments, a 15-min exposure to 1 m M glutamate without hypoxia did not result in significant cell death (14.7 ± 2.4 vs. 12.2 ± 2.1%, p = 0.07). We conclude that, although somewhat resistant to glutamate toxicity when normoxic, NT2-N neurons die via an ionotropic glutamate receptor-mediated mechanism when exposed to hypoxia in the presence of glutamate. As far as we know, this is the first reported analysis of the mechanism of hypoxic cell death in cultured human neuronlike cells.     

Quinolinic acid stimulates synaptosomal glutamate release and inhibits glutamate uptake into astrocytes

Quinolinic acid (QA) is an endogenous neurotoxin involved in various neurological diseases, whose action seems to be exerted via glutamatergic receptors. However, the exact mechanism responsible for the neurotoxicity of QA is far from being understood. We have previously reported that QA inhibits vesicular glutamate uptake. In this work, investigating the effects of QA on the glutamatergic system from rat brain, we have demonstrated that QA (from 0.1 to 10mM) had no effect on synaptosomal L-[3H]glutamate uptake. The effect of QA on glutamate release in basal (physiological K+ concentration) or depolarized (40 mM KCl) conditions was evaluated. QA did not alter K+-stimulated glutamate release, but 5 and 10mM QA significantly increased basal glutamate release. The effect of dizolcipine (MK-801), a noncompetitive antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor on glutamate release was investigated. MK-801 (5 microM) did not alter glutamate release per se, but completely abolished the QA-induced glutamate release. NMDA (50 microM) also stimulated glutamate release, without altering QA-induced glutamate release, suggesting that QA effects were exerted via NMDA receptors. QA (5 and 10mM) decreased glutamate uptake into astrocyte cell cultures. Enhanced synaptosomal glutamate release, associated with inhibition of glutamate uptake into astrocytes induced by QA could contribute to increase extracellular glutamate concentrations which ultimately lead to overstimulation of the glutamatergic system. These data provide additional evidence that neurotoxicity of QA may be also related to disturbances on the glutamatergic transport system, which could result in the neurological manifestations observed when this organic acid accumulates in the brain.     

银杏内酯B对谷氨酸诱导海马神经元损伤的影响

目的：观察银杏内酯B（ginkgolide B,GB）在不同给药模式下对谷氨酸所致海马神经元损伤的影响。方法：采用Co2超临界萃取的方法制备GB,建立新生Wistar大鼠原代培养的海马神经元谷氨酸毒性模型,采用台盼蓝染色、程序性细胞死亡检测技术及乳酸脱氢酶测定的方法,观察预处理与急救两种给药模型下不同剂量GB的神经保护作用,并与MK-801急性给药相比较。结果：GB在两种给药模式下均能不同程度地提高细胞存活率,降低凋亡率,减少LDH漏出量,且在一定范围内保护作用呈剂量依赖的方式。其中预处理的效果明显优于急救给药处理。但均弱于MK-801组。结论：GB对谷氨酸细胞毒性损伤有保护作用,预防性用药效果更佳。GB可能不仅仅通过拮抗血小板活化因子（PAF）受体等下游事件实现其神经保护作用。如果我们重视其预处理给药的显著效果。将其用于高危人群的预防干预可能有更大价值。     

Neuroprotective effect of GMP in hippocampal slices submitted to an in vitro model of ischemia

1. Guanosine-5-monophosphate (GMP) was evaluated as a neuroprotective agent against the damage observed in rat hippocampal slices submitted to an in vitro model of ischemia with or without the presence of the ionotropic glutamate receptor agonist, Kainic acid (KA).2. Cellular injury was evaluated by MTT reduction, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay, and measurement of intracellular ATP levels.3. In slices submitted to ischemic conditions, 1 mM GMP partially prevented the decrease in cell viability induced by glucose and oxygen deprivation and the addition of KA.4. KA or N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, -D-glutamylamino-methylsulfonate (GAMS) or (+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine maleate (MK-801, 20 M) also prevented toxicity in hippocampal slices under ischemic conditions, respectively.5. The association of GMP with GAMS or MK-801 did not induce additional protection than that observed with GMP or that classical glutamate receptor antagonists alone.6. GMP, probably by interacting with ionotropic glutamate receptors, attenuated the damage caused by glucose and oxygen deprivation in hippocampal slices. This neuroprotective action of GMP in this model of excitotoxicity is of outstanding interest in the search for effective therapies against ischemic injury.     

Study of neuroprotection of donepezil, a therapy for Alzheimer's disease

Donepezil is a potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitor used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Although acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are thought to be symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer's disease, it is not clear whether they are effective against progressive degeneration of neuronal cells. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of donepezil against ischemic damage, N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) excitotoxicity, and amyloid-beta (Abeta) toxicity using rat brain primary cultured neurons. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) released into the culture medium was measured as a marker of neuronal cell damage. As an ischemic damage model, we used oxygen-glucose deprivation in rat cerebral cortex primary cultured neurons. Pretreatment with donepezil (0.1, 1 and 10muM) significantly decreased LDH release in a concentration-dependent manner. However, other acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (galantamine, tacrine and rivastigmine) did not significantly decrease LDH release. In a NMDA excitotoxicity model, pretreatment with donepezil (0.1, 1 and 10muM) decreased the LDH release in a concentration-dependent manner. In binding assay for glutamate receptors, donepezil at 100muM only slightly inhibited binding to the glycine and polyamine sites on NMDA receptor complex. We further examined the effect of donepezil on Abeta (1-40)- and Abeta (1-42)-induced toxicity in primary cultures of rat septal neurons. Pretreatment with donepezil (0.1, 1 and 10muM) significantly decreased LDH release induced by Abetas in a concentration-dependent manner. However, other acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (galantamine and tacrine) and NMDA receptor antagonists (memantine and dizocilpine (MK801)) did not significantly decrease LDH release. These results demonstrate that donepezil has protective effects against ischemic damage, glutamate excitotoxicity and Abeta toxicity to rat primary cultured neurons and these effects are not dependent on acetylcholinesterase inhibition and antagonism of NMDA receptors. Thus, donepezil is expected to have a protective effect against progressive degeneration of brain neuronal cells in ischemic cerebrovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease.     

The N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Antagonist MK-801 Fails to Protect Dopaminergic Neurons from 1-Methyl-4- Phenylpyridinium Toxicity In Vitro

Abstract: Recent reports suggest that NMDA receptor antagonists when administered in vivo can protect dopaminergic neurons from the toxic actions of MPP⁺. In the present study the possible neuroprotective effects against MPP⁺ toxicity of the noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 was studied in primary cultures of fetal rat mesencephalic dopamine neurons. MK-801 failed to protect dopaminergic neurons from MPP⁺ toxicity at concentrations that completely block NMDA-induced toxicity of these same neurons. In contrast to work carried out in cerebellar granule cells, MPP⁺ toxicity of mesencephalic dopamine neurons was unaffected by preexposure to subtoxic concentrations of either NMDA or cycloheximide. Our findings suggest that the toxic effects of MPP⁺ on dopaminergic neurons are not mediated through a direct interaction with the NMDA subtype of glutamate receptor.     

Quinolinic Acid-induced Seizures Stimulate Glutamate Uptake into Synaptic Vesicles from Rat Brain: Effects Prevented by Guanine-based Purines

Glutamate uptake into synaptic vesicles is a vital step for glutamatergic neurotransmission. Quinolinic acid (QA) is an endogenous glutamate analog that may be involved in the etiology of epilepsy and is related to disturbances on glutamate release and uptake. Guanine-based purines (GBPs) guanosine 5′-monophosphate (GMP and guanosine) have been shown to exert anticonvulsant effects against QA-induced seizures. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of in vivo administration of several convulsant agents on glutamate uptake into synaptic vesicles and investigate the role of MK-801, guanosine or GMP (anticonvulsants) on glutamate uptake into synaptic vesicles from rats presenting QA-induced seizures. Animals were treated with vehicle (saline 0.9%), QA 239.2 nmoles, kainate 30 mg/kg, picrotoxin 6 mg/kg, PTZ (pentylenetetrazole) 60 mg/kg, caffeine 150 mg/kg or MES (maximal transcorneal electroshock) 80 mA. All convulsant agents induced seizures in 80–100% of animals, but only QA stimulated glutamate uptake into synaptic vesicle. Guanosine or GMP prevented seizures induced by QA (up to 52% of protection), an effect similar to the NMDA antagonist MK-801 (60% of protection). Both GBPs and MK-801 prevented QA-induced glutamate uptake stimulation. This study provided additional evidence on the role of QA and GBPs on glutamatergic system in rat brain, and point to new perspectives on seizures treatment.