Enhanced Potassium-Stimulated γ-Aminobutyric Acid Release by Astrocytes Derived from Rats with Early Hepatogenic Encephalopathy |
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Authors: | Jan Albrecht Urszula Rafaowska |
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Institution: | Department of Neuropathology, Medical Research Center, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, Poland;Department of Neurochemistry, Medical Research Center, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, Poland |
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Abstract: | Bulk-isolated astrocytes from rats with early hepatogenic encephalopathy (HE) induced with thioacetamide responded to the increase of potassium in the incubation medium from 5 mM to 75 mM with a markedly enhanced release of previously taken up 14C]gamma-aminobutyric acid (14C]GABA). The process was not affected by omission of calcium and/or addition of EGTA to the incubation medium. Only a slight stimulation of GABA release by high potassium was observed in astrocytes from control rats. In contrast, histamine and histidine were vigorously released from control astrocytes in high-potassium medium, and their release was not enhanced by HE, indicating that the observed phenomenon is specific for GABA. |
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Keywords: | Rat Hepatogenic encephalopathy Astrocytes γ-Aminobutyric acid release |
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