2-3-dioxo-6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzo(f)quinoxaline and 2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic-acid

Most in vitro models are only used to assess short-term effects of test compounds. However, as demonstrated here, hippocampal slice cultures can be used for long-term studies. The test compound used was the metabotropic glutamate receptor antagonist, L(+)-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid (L-AP3), which is known to be toxic in vivo after subchronic, but not acute, administration. Degenerative effects were monitored by measuring the cellular uptake of propidium iodide (PI; continuously present in the medium) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, and by using a panel of histological stains. Hippocampal slices, derived from 2-3 day old rats and grown for 3 weeks, were subsequently exposed for the next 3 weeks to 0, 10 or 100microM L-AP3, with PI (2microM) in the culture medium. Exposure to 100microM L-AP3 induced severe toxicity after 4-6 days, shown by massive PI uptake, LDH leakage, changes in MAP2 and GFAP immunostaining, and in Nissl and Timm staining. In contrast, 10microM L-AP3 did not induce detectable neuronal degeneration. Treatment with the NMDA receptor antagonist, MK-801, or the AMPA/KA receptor antagonist NBQX, together with 100microM L-AP3, reduced neurodegeneration down to close to control values. It is concluded that continuous incubation of hippocampal slice cultures with PI is technically feasible for use in studies of inducible neuronal degeneration over time.

Topics: Alanine; Animal Testing Alternatives; Animals; Coloring Agents; Dizocilpine Maleate; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; Hippocampus; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; Propidium; Quinoxalines; Rats; Staining and Labeling; Tissue Culture Techniques

1. Nitric oxide (NO) synthase activity was studied in slices of human temporal cortex samples obtained in neurosurgery by measuring the conversion of L-[3H]-arginine to L-[3H]-citrulline. 2. Elevation of extracellular K+ to 20, 35 or 60 mM concentration-dependently augmented L-[3H]-citrulline production. The response to 35 mM KCl was abolished by N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (100 microM) demonstrating NO synthase specific conversion of L-arginine to L-citrulline. Increasing extracellular MgCl2 concentration up to 10 mM also prevented the K+ (35 mM)-induced NO synthase activation, suggesting the absolute requirement of external calcium ions for enzyme activity. 3. However, the effect of high K+ (35 mM) on citrulline synthesis was insensitive to the antagonists of ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors dizocilpine (MK-801), 6-nitro-7-sulphamoylbenzo(f)-quinoxaline-2-3-dione (NBQX) or L-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid (L-AP3) as well as to the nicotinic receptor antagonist, mecamylamine. 4. The 35 mM K+ response was insensitive to omega-conotoxin GVIA (1 microM) and nifedipine (100 microM), but could be prevented in part by omega-agatoxin IVA (0.1 and 1 microM). The inhibition caused by 0.1 microM omega-agatoxin IVA (approximately 30%) was enhanced by adding omega-conotoxin GVIA (1 microM) or nifedipine (100 microM). Further inhibition (up to above 70%) could be observed when the three Ca2+ channel blockers were added together. Similarly, synthetic FTX 3.3 arginine polyamine (sFTX) prevented (50% at 100 microM) the K+-evoked NO synthase activation. This effect of sFTX was further enhanced (up to 70%) by adding 1 microM omega-conotoxin GVIA plus 100 microM nifedipine. No further inhibition could be observed upon addition of MK-801 or/and NBQX. 5. It was concluded that elevation of extracellular [K+] causes NO synthase activation by external Ca2+ entering cells mainly through channels of the P/Q-type. Other Ca2+ channels (L- and N-type) appear to contribute when P/Q-channels are blocked.

Topics: Alanine; Arginine; Calcium Channel Blockers; Calcium Channels; Citrulline; Dizocilpine Maleate; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enzyme Activation; Enzyme Inhibitors; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Mecamylamine; Nicotinic Antagonists; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Nitroarginine; Potassium; Potassium Chloride; Quinoxalines; Temporal Lobe

1. Depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition (DSI) is a form of synaptic plasticity which involves a retrograde messenger. We have performed experiments in Purkinje cells of rat cerebellar slices to determine the nature of this messenger. 2. DSI is mimicked by 2-(2,3-dicarboxycyclopropyl)-glycine (DCG-IV), a specific agonist of group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). 3. DSI is reduced if transmitter release is inhibited by saturating doses of DCG-IV. 4. Both DSI and DCG-IV-induced inhibition are inhibited by L-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid (L-AP3), a drug which interferes with several subtypes of mGluRs. 5. DSI is reduced if synaptic activity is enhanced by application of forskolin. 6. We propose that glutamate or a glutamate-like substance is the retrograde messenger implicated in DSI, and that the inhibition resulting from presynaptic glutamate binding is mediated by a decrease in the presynaptic concentration of cAMP.

Topics: 2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate; Alanine; Animals; Benzoates; Colforsin; Cyclopropanes; Electrophysiology; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; Glutamic Acid; Glycine; Interneurons; Kinetics; Presynaptic Terminals; Purkinje Cells; Quinoxalines; Rats; Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; Synapses; Synaptic Transmission; Tetrodotoxin

The ability of excitatory amino acids to stimulate phosphoinositide hydrolysis in mouse cerebellar granule cells was characterized. Quisqualic acid (EC50 = 2 microM), ibotenic acid (EC50 = 15 microM), kainic acid (EC50 = 30 microM), glutamate (EC50 = 51 microM) and (1S,3R)-1-amino-cyclo-pentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid (t-ACPD) (EC50 = 175 microM) dose-dependently stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis. The stimulation of phosphoinositide hydrolysis was dose-dependently blocked by 2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid (L-AP3) and pertussis toxin, but was unaffected by other excitatory amino acid agonists or antagonists. These data suggest that the pharmacology of excitatory amino acid-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis in the mouse cerebellar granule cells is mediated through the G protein coupled metabotropic glutamate receptor. The overall pharmacology of the metabotropic receptor present in mouse cerebellar granule cells differs from that of previously reported tissue preparations such as rat cerebellar granule cells. In addition, the effect of the alpha-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-1-isoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptor antagonist, 2,3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulphamoylbenzo(F)quinoxaline (NBQX), on excitatory amino acid-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis was also examined. NBQX was without effect on either basal phosphoinositide hydrolysis or excitatory amino acid-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis, suggesting that the neuroprotective effect of NBQX is not mediated through the metabotropic glutamate receptor.

Topics: Alanine; alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid; Animals; Cells, Cultured; Cerebellum; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; GTP-Binding Proteins; Hydrolysis; Ibotenic Acid; Inositol Phosphates; Kainic Acid; Mice; Neurons; Pertussis Toxin; Phosphatidylinositols; Quinoxalines; Quisqualic Acid; Receptors, Glutamate; Virulence Factors, Bordetella