Extracellular Glu Concentrations Research Articles

Enhanced NMDA receptor pathway and glutamate transmission in the hippocampal dentate gyrus mediate the spatial learning and memory impairment of obese rats.

Obesity has been linked with the impairment of spatial memory and synaptic plasticity but the molecular mechanisms remained unidentified. Since glutamatergic transmission and NMDA receptor neural pathways in hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) are essential in the learning and memory, we aimed to investigate glutamate (Glu) and NMDA receptor signaling of DG in spatial learning and memory in diet-induced obesity (DIO) rats. Spatial learning and memory were assessed via Morris water maze (MWM) test on control (Ctr) and DIO rats. Extracellular concentration of Glu in the DG was determined using in vivo microdialysis and HPLC. The protein expressions of NMDA receptor subunit 2B (NR2B), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the activation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) and cAMP-response-element-binding protein (CREB) in the DG were observed by western blot. Spatial learning and memory were impaired in DIO rats compared to those of Ctr. NR2B expression was increased, while BDNF expression and CaMKII and CREB activation were decreased in DG of DIO rats. Extracellular concentration of Glu was increased in Ctr on the 3rd and 4th days of the MWM test, but significant further increment was observed in DIO rats. Microinjection of an NMDA antagonist (MK-801) into the DG reversed spatial learning and memory impairment. Such effects were accompanied by greater BDNF expression and CaMKII/CREB activation in the DG of DIO rats. In conclusion, the enhancement of Glu-NMDA receptor transmission in the hippocampal DG contributes to the impairment of spatial learning and memory in DIO rats, maybe via the modulation of CaMKII-CREB-BDNF signaling pathway.

The role of extracellular glutamate homeostasis dysregulated by astrocyte in epileptic discharges: a model evidence.

Glutamate (Glu) is a predominant excitatory neurotransmitter that acts on glutamate receptors to transfer signals in the central nervous system. Abnormally elevated extracellular glutamate levels is closely related to the generation and transition of epileptic seizures. However, there lacks of investigation regarding the role of extracellular glutamate homeostasis dysregulated by astrocyte in neuronal epileptic discharges. According to this, we propose a novel neuron-astrocyte computational model (NAG) by incorporating extracellular Glu concentration dynamics from three aspects of regulatory mechanisms: (1) the Gluuptake through astrocyte EAAT2; (2) the binding and release Glu via activating astrocyte mGluRs; and (3) the Glu free diffusion in the extracellular space. Then the proposed model NAG is analyzed theoretically and numerically to verify the effect of extracellular Glu homeostasis dysregulated by such three regulatory mechanisms on neuronal epileptic discharges. Our results demonstrate that the neuronal epileptic discharges can be aggravated by the downregulation expression of EAAT2, the aberrant activation of mGluRs, and the elevated Glu levels in extracellular micro-environment; as well as various discharge states (including bursting, mixed-mode spiking, and tonic firing) can be transited by their combination. Furthermore, we find that such factors can also alter the bifurcation threshold for the generation and transition of epileptic discharges. The results in this paper can be helpful for researchers to understand the astrocyte role in modulating extracellular Glu homeostasis, and provide theoretical basis for future related experimental studies.

Inhibition of Vesicular Glutamate Transporters (VGLUTs) with Chicago Sky Blue 6B Before Focal Cerebral Ischemia Offers Neuroprotection

Brain ischemia is one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability in the world. Interruption of the blood supply to the brain is a direct stimulus for many pathological events. The massive vesicular release of glutamate (Glu) after ischemia onset induces excitotoxicity, which is a potent stress on neurons. Loading of presynaptic vesicles with Glu is the first step of glutamatergic neurotransmission. Vesicular glutamate transporters 1, 2, and 3 (VGLUT1, 2, and 3) are the main players involved in filling presynaptic vesicles with Glu. VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 are expressed mainly in glutamatergic neurons. Therefore, the possibility of pharmacological modulation to prevent ischemia-related brain damage is attractive. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of focal cerebral ischemia on the spatiotemporal expression of VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 in rats. Next, we investigated the influence of VGLUT inhibition with Chicago Sky Blue 6B (CSB6B) on Glu release and stroke outcome. The effect of CSB6B pretreatment on infarct volume and neurological deficit was compared with a reference model of ischemic preconditioning. The results of this study indicate that ischemia upregulated the expression of VGLUT1 in the cerebral cortex and in the dorsal striatum 3 days after ischemia onset. The expression of VGLUT2 was elevated in the dorsal striatum and in the cerebral cortex 24 h and 3 days after ischemia, respectively. Microdialysis revealed that pretreatment with CSB6B significantly reduced the extracellular Glu concentration. Altogether, this study shows that inhibition of VGLUTs might be a promising therapeutic strategy for the future.

Inhalable Biomimetic Protein Corona-Mediated Nanoreactor for Self-Amplified Lung Adenocarcinoma Ferroptosis Therapy.

Ferroptosis therapy by catalyzing the Fenton reaction has emerged as a promising tumor elimination strategy for lung adenocarcinoma (ADC). However, the unsatisfactory Fenton reaction efficiency, strong intracellular antioxidant system, and insufficient lung drug accumulation limits the ferroptosis therapeutic effect. To address these issues, an inhalable nanoreactor was proposed by spontaneously adsorbing biomimetic protein corona (PC) composed of matrix metalloproteinase 2 responsive gelatin and glutamate (Glu) on the surface of cationic nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) core loaded with ferrocene (Fc) and fluvastatin. The prepared Fc-NLC(F)@PC could be nebulized into lung lesions with 2.6 times higher drug accumulation and boost lipid peroxide production by 3.2 times to enhance ferroptosis therapy. Mechanically, fluvastatin was proved to inhibit monocarboxylic acid transporter 4 mediated lactate efflux, inducing tumor acidosis to boost Fc-catalyzing reactive oxygen species production, while the extracellular elevating Glu concentration was found to inhibit xCT (system Xc-) functions and further collapse the tumor antioxidant system by glutathione synthesis suppression. Mitochondrial dysfunction and cell membrane damage were involved in the nanoreactor-driven ferroptotic cell death process. The enhanced antitumor effects by combination of tumor acidosis and antioxidant system collapse were confirmed in an orthotopic lung ADC tumor model. Overall, the proposed nanoreactor highlights the pulmonary delivery approach for local lung ADC treatment and underscores the great potential of ferroptosis therapy.

Intermediates, state transitions, and ligand coupling in the dynamic mechanism of the hEAAT3 glutamate transporter

The most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, L-Glu, is involved in a variety of neuronal signaling processes. This explains the keen interest in the excitatory amino acid transporter (EAAT) family and its role in the regulation of intra- and extra-cellular Glu concentrations. The human EAAT3 protein (hEAAT3) operates by an elevator mechanism to transfer the substrate from an outward-facing state (OFS) to an inward-facing state (IFS) from which the Glu can be released into the cell.

Metformin inhibits Aβ25-35 -induced apoptotic cell death in SH-SY5Y cells.

Metformin, a first-line drug for type-2 diabetes, plays a potentially protective role in preventing Alzheimer's disease (AD), but its underlying mechanism is unclear. In this study, Aβ25-35 -treated SH-SY5Y cells were used as a cell model of AD to investigate the neuroprotective effect of metformin, as well as its underlying mechanisms. We found that metformin decreased the cell apoptosis rate and death, ratio of Bcl-2/Bax, and expression of NR2A and NR2B, and increased the expression of LC3 in Aβ25-35 -treated SH-SY5Y cells. Metformin also reduced intracellular and extracellular Glu concentrations, as well as the intracellular concentration of Ca2+ and ROS in Aβ25-35 -treated SH-SY5Y cells. These findings suggest that metformin inhibits Aβ25-35 -treated SH-SY5Y cell death by inhibiting apoptosis, decreasing intracellular Ca2+ and ROS by reducing neurotoxicity of excitatory amino acids, and by possibly reversing autophagy disorder via regulating autophagy process.

Age-dependent effects of (+)-MK801 treatment on glutamate release and metabolism in the rat medial prefrontal cortex

NMDAR antagonist treatments in adolescent/young adult rodents are associated with augmented glutamate (Glu) release and perturbed Glu/glutamine (Gln) metabolism in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) resembling those found in first-episode schizophrenia. Few studies, however, investigated NMDAR antagonist-induced changes in the adult mPFC and whether there is an age-dependence to this end. In this study, the effects of acute/repeated (+)-MK801 treatment on Glu release/metabolism were measured in the mPFC of male adolescent (postnatal day 30) and adult (14 weeks) rats. Acute (+)-MK801 treatment at 0.5 mg/kg body weight induced an approximately 4-fold increase of extracellular Glu concentration in the adolescent rats, and repeated treatment for 6 consecutive days significantly increased the levels of Glu + Gln (Glx) and glial metabolites 7 days after the last dose. Histologically (+)-MK801 treatments induced reactive astrocytosis and elevated oxidative stress in the mPFC of adolescent rats, without causing evident neuronal degeneration in the region. All (+)-MK801-induced changes observed in the mPFC of adolescent rats were not present or evident in the adult rats, suggesting that the treatments might have caused less disinhibition in the adult mPFC than in the adolescent mPFC. In conclusion, the effects of (+)-MK801 treatments on the Glu release/metabolism in the mPFC were found to be age-dependent; and the adult mPFC is likely equipped with more robust neurobiological mechanisms to preserve excitatory-inhibitory balance in response to NMDAR hypofunction.

PO-187 Exercise reduced the extracellular Glu concentration of striatum neurons in PD model rats by up-regulating mGluR2/3 expression

Objective To investigate the effects of motor intervention on the extracellular Glu concentration and mGluR2/3 mRNA and mGluR2/3 protein expression levels of striatum neurons in PD model rats.
 Methods Rat model of unilateral injury was established by injecting neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the right brain medial forebrain bundle (MFB)，the sham operation group was given the same dose of normal saline at the same site.Apomorphine (APO) induced rotation behavior test with substantia nigra and striatum TH immunohistochemical staining used to evaluate the reliability of the model. The exercise group began to exercise the treadmill training intervention (11m/min，30min/day，5day/week) at 1 weeks after the operation. Open field experiment and climbing pole experiment used to evaluate the ability of autonomous activity and movement coordination in rats.Western blotting used to detect tyrosine hydroxylase and mGluR2/3 expression level. RT-PCR was used to detect the expression level of mGluR2 and mGluR3 mRNA in the striatum；In vivo microdialysis combined with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) used to detect extracellular Glu concentration in striatal neurons. 
 Results The results of the microdialysis combined with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed that，compared with control group，in PD group，Glu concentration of the extracellular of striatal neurons was significantly increased at third and fifth weeks，and the difference was very significant (P<0.01)；Compared with PD group，in PD+Ex group，Glu concentration of the extracellular of striatal neurons was significantly decreased at third and fifth weeks，and the difference was very significant (P<0.05，P<0.01)；Compared with the PD+Ex group，in PD+Ex+ APICA group，Glu concentration of the extracellular of striatal neurons was significantly increased at third and fifth weeks，and the difference was very significant (P<0.05, P<0.01). RT-PCR test results indicated that,the expression level of striatal mGluR3 mRNA of PD group decreased compared with the control group，and the difference was significant (P<0.01)；Compared with the PD group，in the PD+Ex group，the expression level of striatal mGluR3 mRNA increased，a the difference was very significant (P<0.01)；6-OHDA damage and exercise intervention had no effect on the expression of striatum mGluR2 mRNA，and the difference was was not significant (P>0.05). Western blotting results indicated that，the expression level of striatum mGluR2/3 protein of PD group was decreased compared with the control group，and the difference was vey significant (P<0.01)，compared with the PD group，in PD+Ex group，the expression level of striatum mGluR2/3 protein was increased，and the difference significant (P<0.05) . The correlation between the extracellular Glu concentration of the striatum neurons and the total moving distance in PD rats showed that，at third weeks，the extracellular Glu concentration of striatal neurons was negatively correlated with the total movement distance (r=-0.82，P<0.05)，at fifth weeks，the extracellular Glu concentration of striatal neurons was negatively correlated with the total movement distance (r=-0.91，P<0.01).
 Conclusions The expression level of mGluR2/3 decreased in rats with PD model with increased Gu concentration. The decrease of Gulu concentration and the increase of expression level of mGluR2/3 in the striatum striatum of PD model rats could be induced by the training intervention of running platform, which promoted the improvement of motor dysfunction in PD model rats.

Lanthanum chloride impairs memory in rats by disturbing the glutamate-glutamine cycle and over-activating NMDA receptors

Studies have reported that lanthanum chloride (LaCl3) can across the blood-brain barrier, accumulate in the brain and affect the spatial learning and memory abilities. However, the potential mechanism that LaCl3-induced neurotoxic effects has not yet been defined. Glutamate (Glu) is a vital excitatory neurotransmitter, and the excessive Glu accumulation in extracellular space can induce excitatory neurotoxicity. This study was designed to research the influence of LaCl3 on the spatial learning and memory abilities of rats and to discuss the possible mechanism underlying this effect regarding the extracellular Glu concentration, the Glu-glutamine (Gln) cycle and the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Four groups of Wistar rats were exposed to 0%, 0.125%, 0.25% or 0.5% LaCl3 via the drinking water from the day of conception to 1 month after weaning. These results showed that LaCl3 exposure damaged spatial learning and memory, long-term potentiation, and neuronal ultrastructure, generated an excessive accumulation of glutamate, significantly decreased the expression of glutamate/aspartate transporter (GLAST), glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1), glutamine synthetase (GS) and phosphate-activated glutaminase (PAG), and increased the expression of GluN1, GluN2A and GluN2B. This study showed that LaCl3 impaired the rats' spatial learning and memory abilities by disturbing the Glu-Gln cycle and over-activating NMDA receptors thereby inducing excitotoxicity.

An electrochemiluminescent method for glutamate measurement in small microdialysate samples in asphyxiated young rats.

Glutamate (Glu) quantification has been performed by a combination of intracerebral microdialysis through which the samples are obtained and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC); its measurement requires a large expenditure of time (15-30min per sample) and special training. Therefore, an alternative method is presented here, based on the electrochemiluminescence produced by the use of an enzymatic reactor, containing glutamate-oxidase, mixed and incubated with microdialysate from dorsal striatum (DS) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) of young rats asphyxiated during the neonatal period, under a global asphyxia model in order to test this method. Using this approach, we found high extracellular Glu concentration in the DS of asphyxiated animals, but only during K+ stimulation, while in the PFC, only a delay in the rise of Glu after K+ stimulation was observed, without any difference in extracellular Glu content when compared with controls. This new method permitted a fast measurement of Glu in brain dialysate samples, it significantly reduces the cost of the analysis per sample, since only a single device and pump are needed without using columns and high pressure inside the system or complex hardware and software to control pumps, detector, fraction collector or any other peripheral used in HPLC.

Regulation of Glutamate Transporter Expression in Glial Cells.

Glutamate (Glu) is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate central nervous system. During synaptic activity, Glu is released into the synaptic cleft and binds to Glu receptors activating a wide variety of signal transduction cascades. Extracellular Glu concentrations are maintained exclusively within physiological levels mainly by glial Glu transporters. Inefficient clearance of synaptic Glu may be neurotoxic owing to prolonged hyperactivation of postsynaptic Glu receptors, causing a multitude of intracellular events in the postsynaptic neuron, which ultimately results in neuronal cell death. This phenomenon is known as excitotoxicity and is the underlying mechanisms of a number of neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, it is important to understand the regulation of Glu transporters' function. Transporter activity can be regulated in different ways, including gene expression, transporter protein targeting and trafficking, and posttranslational modifications of the transporter protein. The identification of these mechanisms has allowed to understand the role of Glu transporters during pathology and will aid in the development of therapeutic strategies for treating or preventing pathologies associated with excitotoxicity.

Mechanisms of Excessive Extracellular Glutamate Accumulation in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

There is compelling evidence that initiation and maintenance of epileptic seizures in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is facilitated by excessive accumulation in the extracellular (perisynaptic) space of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate (Glu). This review discusses the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. Glu released from neurons is taken up by astrocytes and activated there by glutamine synthetase (GS) to form glutamine (Gln) which upon entry to neurons is degraded back to Glu by phosphate-activated glutaminase (PAG): this chain of reactions has been defined as the glutamine/glutamate/cycle (GGC). In the initial phase of epileptogenesis, increased Glu supply is a consequence of activation of its turnover in GGC by Glu released by a primary chemical or physical stimulus. In chronic TLE, profound astrogliosis and demise of neurons which culminate in hippocampal sclerosis, are associated with changes in GGC which act in concert towards increasing the extracellular Glu concentration. Deficiency of GS and of the astrocytic Glu transporter, GLT-1, impede Glu inactivation, whereas Glu release from neurons appears facilitated by activation of PAG and increased activity of the neuronal Glu transporter EAAC1. Conclusions derived from measurements of activities/expression patterns of the GGC enzymes and transporter moieties find support in metabolic studies employing 13C labeled Glu precursors. Glu reuptake by astrocytes is additionally impeded by unfavorable ion gradients resulting from ion and water dyshomeostasis, and extracellular Glu concentration is further increased by reduction of extracellular space due to edema and altered cytoarchitecture of the hippocampus. Missing links in the scenario are discussed in concluding comments.

Nitric oxide facilitates active avoidance learning via enhancement of glutamate levels in the hippocampal dentate gyrus

The hippocampus is a key structure for learning and memory in mammals, and long-term potentiation (LTP) is an important cellular mechanism responsible for learning and memory. Despite a number of studies indicating that nitric oxide (NO) is involved in the formation and maintenance of LTP as a retrograde messenger, few studies have used neurotransmitter release as a visual indicator in awake animals to explore the role of NO in learning-dependent long-term enhancement of synaptic efficiency. Therefore, in the present study, the effects of l-NMMA (a NO synthase inhibitor) and SNP (a NO donor) on extracellular glutamate (Glu) concentrations and amplitudes of field excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP) were measured in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) region during the acquisition and extinction of active-avoidance behavior in freely-moving conscious rats. In the control group, the extracellular concentration of Glu in the DG was significantly increased during the acquisition of active-avoidance behavior and gradually returned to baseline levels following extinction training. In the experimental group, the change in Glu concentration was significantly reduced by local microinjection of l-NMMA, as was the acquisition of the active-avoidance behavior. In contrast, the change in Glu concentration was significantly enhanced by SNP, and the acquisition of the active-avoidance behavior was significantly accelerated. Furthermore, in all groups, the changes in extracellular Glu were accompanied by corresponding changes in fEPSP amplitude and active-avoidance behavior. Our results suggest that NO in the hippocampal DG facilitates active avoidance learning via enhancements of glutamate levels and synaptic efficiency in rats.

Differential Changes of Extracellular Aspartate and Glutamate in the Striatum of Domestic Chicken Evoked by High Potassium or Distress: An In Vivo Microdialysis Study

It has long been proposed that L: -aspartate (Asp) is an excitatory neurotransmitter similar to L: -glutamate (Glu) but with distinct signaling properties. The presence of Asp in excitatory synapses of the medial striatum/nucleus accumbens of domestic chicks suggests that Asp plays a role of neurotransmitter also in the avian brain. Neurotransmitters are released from the presynaptic bouton mostly by Ca(2+) dependent exocytosis. We used in vivo microdialysis to monitor the simultaneous changes of the extracellular levels of Asp and Glu in the medial striatum of young post-hatch domestic chicks. Microdialysis samples were collected from freely moving birds at 5 min intervals and analysed off-line using capillary electrophoresis. Event-related elevations of extracellular Glu and Asp concentrations in response to handling stress and to high KCl (50 mM) were observed. Increase of Glu and Asp on handling stress was 200 and 250 %, whereas on KCl stimulation the values were 300 and 1,000 %, respectively, if stress was applied before high KCl, and 150 and 200 %, respectively, in the absence of stress. In most cases, the amino acids showed correlated changes, Asp concentrations being consistently smaller at resting but exceeding Glu during stimulation. Using Ca(2+) free medium, the KCl triggered elevation of Glu was reduced. When KCl stimulation was combined with tetrodotoxin infusion, there was no significant elevation in Asp or in Glu suggesting that most of the extracellular excitatory amino acids were released by synaptic mechanisms. The results support the suggestion that Asp is co-released with Glu and may play a signaling role (as distinct from that of glutamate) in the striatum of birds.

Alterations of Gene Expression and Glutamate Clearance in Astrocytes Derived from an MeCP2-Null Mouse Model of Rett Syndrome

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmetal disorder associated with mutations in the methyl-CpG–binding protein 2 (MeCP2) gene. MeCP2-deficient mice recapitulate the neurological degeneration observed in RTT patients. Recent studies indicated a role of not only neurons but also glial cells in neuronal dysfunction in RTT. We cultured astrocytes from MeCP2-null mouse brain and examined astroglial gene expression, growth rate, cytotoxic effects, and glutamate (Glu) clearance. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that expression of astroglial marker genes, including GFAP and S100β, was significantly higher in MeCP2-null astrocytes than in control astrocytes. Loss of MeCP2 did not affect astroglial cell morphology, growth, or cytotoxic effects, but did alter Glu clearance in astrocytes. When high extracellular Glu was added to the astrocyte cultures and incubated, a time-dependent decrease of extracellular Glu concentration occurred due to Glu clearance by astrocytes. Although the shapes of the profiles of Glu concentration versus time for each strain of astrocytes were grossly similar, Glu concentration in the medium of MeCP2-null astrocytes were lower than those of control astrocytes at 12 and 18 h. In addition, MeCP2 deficiency impaired downregulation of excitatory amino acid transporter 1 and 2 (EAAT1/2) transcripts, but not induction of glutamine synthetase (GS) transcripts, upon high Glu exposure. In contrast, GS protein was significantly higher in MeCP2-null astrocytes than in control astrocytes. These findings suggest that MeCP2 affects astroglial genes expression in cultured astrocytes, and that abnormal Glu clearance in MeCP2-deficient astrocytes may influence the onset and progression of RTT.

Short- and long-term changes in extracellular glutamate and acetylcholine concentrations in the rat hippocampus following hypoxia

Hypoxia at birth is a major source of brain damage and it is associated with serious neurological sequelae in survivors. Alterations in the extracellular turnover of glutamate (Glu) and acetylcholine (ACh), two neurotransmitters that are essential for normal hippocampal function and learning and memory processes, may contribute to some of the neurological effects of perinatal hypoxia. We set out to determine the immediate and long-lasting effects of hypoxia on the turnover of these neurotransmitters by using microdialysis to measure the extracellular concentration of Glu and ACh in hippocampus, when hypoxia was induced in rats at postnatal day (PD) 7, and again at PD30. In PD7 rats, hypoxia induced an increase in extracellular Glu concentrations that lasted for up to 2.5h and a decrease in extracellular ACh concentrations over this period. By contrast, perinatal hypoxia attenuated Glu release in asphyxiated rats, inducing a decrease in basal Glu levels when these animals reached PD30. Unlike Glu, the basal ACh levels in these animals were greater than in controls at PD30, although ACh release was stimulated less strongly than in control animals. These results provide the first evidence of the initial and long term consequences of the hypoxia on Glu and ACh turnover in the brain, demonstrating that hypoxia produces significant alterations in hippocampal neurochemistry and physiology.

A Capillary Fraction Collector Coupled to a Fluorescence Reader: A Novel Device to Continuously Quantify Glutamate During Microdialysis

Microdialysis coupled to HPLC is the preferred method for quantification of glutamate (Glu) concentrations, both in normal and pathological conditions. However, HPLC is a time consuming technique that suffers from poor temporal resolution. Here we describe an alternative method to measure glutamate concentrations in small-volume dialysis samples by quantifying hydrogen peroxide released by glutamate oxidase using the Amplex Red method. This system permits continuous automatic sample collection and the detection of a fluorescent reaction product, resorufin, which provides a measure of the glutamate concentration. Quantification can be carried out in small microdialysis samples to allow a temporal resolution of 60 s. Both in vitro and in vivo tests showed that this method was reproducible and reliable, detecting Glu along a linear scale. To validate the proposed method, extracellular Glu concentrations in the rat brain were measured and correlated with electrophysiological activity prior, during and after seizure induction with 4-aminopyridine. This method may be adapted to monitor other biologically active compounds, including acetylcholine and glucose, as well as other compounds that generate hydrogen peroxide as a reaction product and may be used as an alternative to other neurochemical methods.

New role of glutamate as an immunoregulator via glutamate receptors and transporters

Accumulating evidence suggests that the amino acid glutamate (Glu) may play a role in mediating immune function. The demonstration of Glu receptors (GluR) and Glu transporters (GluT) on a variety of immune cells suggests that Glu has a functional role in immunoregulation well beyond its role as a neurotransmitter. The extracellular Glu concentration plays a key role in the regulation of GSH synthesis in immune cells via 2 key GluTs (i.e., Xc- and X-AG systems). Emerging evidence also suggests a role of Glu as signaling molecule in immune cells via ionotropic GluRs (iGluRs) and metabotropic GluRs (mGluRs). In vitro, extracellular Glu concentration has been shown to exert a dose-dependent regulation on lymphocyte activation/proliferation. Specifically, Given the exceedingly high intestinal Glu concentration, these finding are suggestive of a potential role for Glu in modulating immune function and promoting tolerance in the gut associated lymphoid tissues.

Co-Existence of GABA and Glu Transporters in the Central Nervous System

Co-localization of transporters able to recapture the released or endogenously synthesized transmitter (homotransporters) and of transporters that can selectively take up transmitters/modulators originating from neighbouring structures (heterotransporters) has been demonstrated to occur within the same axon terminal of several neuronal phenotypes. Activation of terminal heterotransporters invariably leads to the release of the transmitter specific to the terminal. Heterotransporters are also increasingly reported to exist on neuronal soma/dendrites and nerve terminals, on the basis of morphological experiments. The functions of somatodendritic heterotransporters has been investigated only in a very limited number of cases. Release-regulating GABA heterotransporters of the GAT-1 type exist on Glu nerve terminals in different rodent brain regions including spinal cord. Activation of GABA heterotransporters provokes release of Glu, which takes place by reversal of the Glu homotransporter and by anion channel opening. Interestingly, the release of Glu induced by GABA in spinal cord is dramatically enhanced in a transgenic mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and this effect seems to represent the most precocious mechanism that increases extracellular Glu concentration, reported to occur in the pathomechanism.

Reversed operation of glutamate transporter GLT‐1 is crucial to the development of preconditioning‐induced ischemic tolerance of neurons in neuron/astrocyte co‐cultures

Sublethal ischemia leads to increased tolerance against subsequent prolonged cerebral ischemia in vivo. In the present study, we investigated the roles of the astrocytic glutamate (Glu) transporter GLT-1 in preconditioning (PC)-induced neuronal ischemic tolerance in cortical neuron/astrocyte co-cultures. Ischemia in vitro was simulated by subjecting cultures to both oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD). A sublethal OGD (PC) increased the survival rate of neurons significantly when cultures were exposed to a lethal OGD 24 h later. The extracellular concentration of Glu increased significantly during PC, and treatment with an inhibitor of N-methyl-D-actetate (NMDA) receptors significantly reversed the PC-induced ischemic tolerance of neurons, suggesting that the increase in extracellular concentration of Glu during PC was critical to the development of PC-induced neuronal ischemic tolerance via the activation of NMDA receptors. Treatment with a GLT-1 blocker during PC suppressed this increase in Glu significantly, and antagonized the PC-induced neuronal ischemic tolerance. This study suggested that the reversed operation of GLT-1 was crucial to the development of neuronal ischemic tolerance.