Volume regulation and the efflux of amino acids from cells in incubated slices of rat cerebral cortex. I. Characteristics of transport mechanisms

Early microstructural and metabolic changes following controlled cortical impact injury in rat: a magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy study

Understanding tissue alterations at an early stage following traumatic brain injury (TBI) is critical for injury management and limiting severe consequences from secondary injury. We investigated the early microstructural and metabolic profiles using in vivo diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H MRS) at 2 and 4 h following a controlled cortical impact injury in the rat brain using a 7.0 Tesla animal MRI system and compared profiles to baseline. Significant decrease in mean diffusivity (MD) and increased fractional anisotropy (FA) was found near the impact site (hippocampus and bilateral thalamus; p<0.05) immediately following TBI, suggesting cytotoxic edema. Although the DTI parameters largely normalized on the contralateral side by 4 h, a large inter-individual variation was observed with a trend towards recovery of MD and FA in the ipsilateral hippocampus and a sustained elevation of FA in the ipsilateral thalamus (p<0.05). Significant reduction in metabolite to total creatine ratios of N-acetylaspartate (NAA, p=0.0002), glutamate (p=0.0006), myo-inositol (Ins, p=0.04), phosphocholine and glycerophosphocholine (PCh+GPC, p=0.03), and taurine (Tau, p=0.009) were observed ipsilateral to the injury as early as 2 h, while glutamine concentration increased marginally (p=0.07). These metabolic alterations remained sustained over 4 h after TBI. Significant reductions of Ins (p=0.024) and Tau (p=0.013) and marginal reduction of NAA (p=0.06) were also observed on the contralateral side at 4 h after TBI. Overall our findings suggest significant microstructural and metabolic alterations as early as 2 h following injury. The tendency towards normalization at 4 h from the DTI data and no further metabolic changes at 4 h from MRS suggest an optimal temporal window of about 3 h for interventions that might limit secondary damage to the brain. Results indicate that early assessment of TBI patients using DTI and MRS may provide valuable information on the available treatment window to limit secondary brain damage.

Two distinct modes of hypoosmotic medium-induced release of excitatory amino acids and taurine in the rat brain in vivo

A variety of physiological and pathological factors induce cellular swelling in the brain. Changes in cell volume activate several types of ion channels, which mediate the release of inorganic and organic osmolytes and allow for compensatory cell volume decrease. Volume-regulated anion channels (VRAC) are thought to be responsible for the release of some of organic osmolytes, including the excitatory neurotransmitters glutamate and aspartate. In the present study, we compared the in vivo properties of the swelling-activated release of glutamate, aspartate, and another major brain osmolyte taurine. Cell swelling was induced by perfusion of hypoosmotic (low [NaCl]) medium via a microdialysis probe placed in the rat cortex. The hypoosmotic medium produced several-fold increases in the extracellular levels of glutamate, aspartate and taurine. However, the release of the excitatory amino acids differed from the release of taurine in several respects including: (i) kinetic properties, (ii) sensitivity to isoosmotic changes in [NaCl], and (iii) sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide, which is known to modulate VRAC. Consistent with the involvement of VRAC, hypoosmotic medium-induced release of the excitatory amino acids was inhibited by the anion channel blocker DNDS, but not by the glutamate transporter inhibitor TBOA or Cd2+, which inhibits exocytosis. In order to elucidate the mechanisms contributing to taurine release, we studied its release properties in cultured astrocytes and cortical synaptosomes. Similarities between the results obtained in vivo and in synaptosomes suggest that the swelling-activated release of taurine in vivo may be of neuronal origin. Taken together, our findings indicate that different transport mechanisms and/or distinct cellular sources mediate hypoosmotic medium-induced release of the excitatory amino acids and taurine in vivo.

Osmosensitive release of neurotransmitter amino acids: relevance and mechanisms

Hyposmolarity activates amino acid efflux as part of the corrective volume process in a variety of cells. This review discusses the mechanism of amino acid release in brain cells preparations. Results present evidence of substantial differences between the efflux of taurine and that of GABA and glutamate, which besides a possible role as osmolytes, have a main function as synaptic transmitters. The differences found concern the efflux time course, the sensitivity to C1- channel blockers, the modulation by tyrosine kinases, the influence of PKC and the effect of cytoskeleton disruptive agents. While taurine efflux features fit well with the mechanisms so far described in most cell types, the efflux of GABA and glutamate does not. Alternate mechanisms for the release of these two amino acids are discussed, including a PKC-modulated, actin-dependent exocytosis.

Hypo-osmotic swelling-activated release of organic osmolytes in brain slices: implications for brain oedema in vivo

A decrease in the intracellular levels of osmotically active species has invariably been seen after swelling of mammalian brain tissue preparations. The exact identity of the species, and the manner of their decrease, remain to be described. We investigated the swelling-activated decrease of organic osmolytes in rat cortical brain slices using (1)H- and (31)P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy. We found that acute hypo-osmotic shock causes decreases in the levels of a range of intracellular amino acids and amino acid derivatives, N-acetyl-aspartate, creatine, GABA, glutamate, hypotaurine, and also in the levels of the methylamines glycerol-phosphorylcholine, phosphorylcholine and choline. Incubation of cortical slices with the anion channel blockers niflumic acid and tamoxifen caused inhibition of organic osmolyte efflux, suggesting that such osmolyte efflux occurs through anion channels. Intracellular phosphocreatine was also seen to decrease during acute hypo-osmotic superfusion, although intracellular ATP remained constant. In addition, the acidification of an intracellular compartment was observed during hypo-osmotic superfusion. Our results suggest a link between brain energy reserve and brain osmoregulation.

Efflux of osmolyte amino acids during isovolumic regulation in hippocampal slices

The efflux of potassium (K(+)) and amino acids from hippocampal slices was measured after sudden exposure to 10% (270 mOsm), 25% (225 mOsm) or 50% (150 mOsm) hyposmotic solutions or after gradual decrease (-2.5 mOsm/min) in external osmolarity. In slices suddenly exposed to 50% hyposmotic solutions, swelling was followed by partial (74%) cell volume recovery, suggesting regulatory volume decrease (RVD). With gradual hyposmotic changes, no increase in cell water content was observed even when the solution at the end of the experiment was 50% hyposmotic, showing the occurrence of isovolumic regulation (IVR). The gradual decrease in osmolarity elicited the efflux of (3)H-taurine with a threshold at -5 mOsm and D-[(3)H]aspartate (as marker for glutamate) and at -20 mOsm for [(3)H]GABA. The efflux rate of [(3)H]taurine was always notably higher than those of [(3)H]GABA and D-[(3)H]aspartate, with a maximal increase over the isosmotic efflux of about 7-fold for [(3)H]taurine and 3- and 2-fold for [(3)H]GABA and D-[(3)H]aspartate, respectively. The amino acid content in slices exposed to 50% hyposmotic solutions (abrupt change) during 20 min decreased by 50. 6% and 62.6% (gradual change). Taurine and glutamate showed the largest decrease. An enhancement in (86)Rb efflux and a corresponding decrease in K(+) tissue content was seen in association with RVD but not with IVR. These results demonstrate the contribution of amino acids to IVR and indicate their involvement in this mechanism of cell volume control.

Effects of the anion channel blocker DIDS on ouabain- and high K(+)-induced release of amino acids from the rat cerebral cortex

Amino acid release from the rat cerebral cortex was analyzed using an in vivo cortical cup perfusion model. Topical applications of ouabain or high extracellular K(+) were used to mimic two dimensions of ischemic conditions which promote cell swelling and amino acid release. Ouabain (30 microM) induced significant releases of taurine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), aspartate, glutamate and phosphoethanolamine. The anion channel blocker, 4, 4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2, 2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS; 1 mM), inhibited ouabain-induced release of all these amino acids except for glutamate. Exposure to high extracellular K(+) (75 mM) induced a delayed rise in the levels of taurine in the superfusates and an immediate increase in GABA levels. There were no significant releases of other amino acids. The release of taurine and GABA was sensitive to the blocking of anion channels with DIDS. Both ouabain- and high K(+)-induced taurine release is likely to be mediated by DIDS sensitive anion channels. The extracellular accumulation of the other amino acids, where insensitive to DIDS, may be mediated by mechanisms other than swelling-induced anion channels.

Amino acid efflux and cell volume regulation in cerebrocortical minislices prepared from chronically hyponatraemic and hypernatraemic rats

The rates of efflux of pre-loaded amino acids, and associated steady-state volumes, were measured in cells in cerebrocortical minislices prepared from chronically (4 day) hypo- and hypernatraemic rats. The findings were compared with those obtained when cells from normonatraemic rats were acutely exposed to comparable levels of anisosmotic stress. In the presence of 122 mmol/l Na+ cells from normal rats showed increases in the rates of efflux of D-aspartate and GABA, and significant swelling (both by comparison with levels in media containing 142 mmol/l Na+). Conversely there was no acceleration of efflux in cells from hyponatraemic rats (plasma Na+ = 119-126 mmol/l) and volumes were preserved at levels comparable with those in isomotically incubated cells from normal rats. In media containing 164 mmol/l Na+ amino acid efflux in cells from normal rats was retarded, and shrinkage occurred. In cells from chronically hypernatraemic rats (plasma Na+ = 160-166 mmol/l) the rates of efflux of D-aspartate and D-glutamate were accelerated by comparison with cells from normal rats, with volume preservation. However there was no increase in the rate of GABA or glycine efflux, and cell swelling was observed. It is concluded (i) that during chronic hyponatraemia the presence of D-aspartate or GABA is associated with cell volume preservation, (ii) during chronic hypernatraemia acidic, but not neutral, amino acids are also effective in this respect, and (iii) that the markedly differing patterns of efflux responses to acute and chronic anisosmotic stress are likely to reflect chronic volume-regulatory adaptations of the efflux mechanism(s).

Effects of anion channel blockers on hyposmotically induced amino acid release from the in vivo rat cerebral cortex

A cortical cup model with continuous perfusion of artificial cerebrospinal fluid (containing 134 mM NaCl) was used to investigate the effects of anion channel blockers on the hyposmotically-induced release of amino acids from the in vivo rat cerebral cortex. The hyposmotic stimulus (25 mM NaCl) evoked a release of taurine, glutamate, aspartate, glycine, phosphoethanolamine and GABA. Topically applied anion channel blockers 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (1 mM); 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2-disulfonic acid (2 mM); 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino) benzoic acid (350 microM); niflumic acid (500 microM); tamoxifen (20 microM) and arachidonic acid (0.5 microM) all significantly reduced the hyposmotically-induced release of taurine. The releases of glutamate, aspartate, glycine, phosphoethanolamine and GABA were variably susceptible to inhibition by these compounds. These results demonstrate that osmoregulatory processes in cortical cells, in vivo, involve amino acids, with taurine playing a dominant role. The efflux of taurine and, to a lesser extent, the other amino acids may be mediated by anion channels.

The role of taurine in the regulation of brain cell volume in chronically hyponatraemic rats

Cells in slices prepared from the superficial cerebral cortex of normonatraemic rats underwent moderate swelling when exposed to low Na+ medium (122 mmol/l) accompanied by a large increase in the rate of efflux of preloaded taurine. In contrast, cells in slices from chronically (4 day) hyponatraemic rats did not increase in volume and the rate of taurine efflux was unchanged. The anion transport inhibitor 4,4'-diisothiocyanato-stilbene-2,2'-sulphonic acid (25 micromol/l) caused marked (-44%) reduction in taurine efflux in cells from normonatraemic rats; this response was strongly attenuated (-16%) by hyponatraemia. When slices from hyponatraemic rats were acutely exposed to medium containing 142 mmol/Na+ cells exhibited marked and paradoxical swelling. This response was completely abolished by the NaCl co-transport inhibitor bumetanide (50 micromol/l) and was not observed in slices that had not been pre-loaded with taurine. Forty eight hours after the start of the remission of hyponatraemia, cells from post-hyponatraemic rats displayed normal responses (i.e., moderate swelling and greatly accelerated taurine efflux) on exposure to 122 mmol/Na+. But at 24 h there was only partial restoration of the efflux response to 122 mmol/Na+, with an enhanced cell swelling response that was not significantly affected by bumetanide. It is concluded that (i) during chronic hyponatraemia, unlike acute hyposmotic stress, cortical cells preserve their volume and that this is not associated with any increase in the rate of taurine loss; there does however, appear to be a decrease in the anionic component of cellular taurine efflux; (ii) acute re-incubation of slices in medium containing 142 mmol/l Na+ is associated with cell swelling that may reflect up-regulation of Na/Cl/taurine co-transport; (iii) following restoration of normonatraemia the pattern of normal cellular response to acute hyposmotic stress is only gradually re-established.

Volume regulation and the efflux of amino acids from cells in incubated slices of rat cerebral cortex. II. Dependence on Ca2+ ions

The efflux of gamma-aminoisobutyric acid (GABA) and L-glutamate from pre-loaded cells in rat cerebral cortical slices has been studied during interventions designed to affect the availability of intracellular Ca2+ during hyposmotic swelling and membrane depolarization due to raised extracellular K+. Calmodulin-dependent acceleration of amino acid efflux in hyposmotic media, with cell swelling less than would be predicted on the basis of perfect osmometric behaviour (see Ref. [1]), was unaffected by Ca-ionophore in the presence of external Ca2+ or by the omission of external Ca2+, but was suppressed by pre-exposure of slices to thapsigargin (2 microM), which is reported to deplete cytosolic Ca2+, and by TMB-8 (0.5 mM), which blocks release of Ca2+ from internal stores. TMB-8 also led to significant cell swelling. The effects of TMB-8 were reversed by Ca-ionophore. Raised external K+ (54 mM) led to accelerated amino acid efflux which required calmodulin activation and was blocked by (i) omission of external Ca2+, (ii) the voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channel blocker nifedipine (1 microM), (iii) the anion transport inhibitor DIDS (25 microM for GABA, 100 microM for L-glutamate, see Ref. [1]), and (iv) the -SH group acetylator N-ethylmaleimide. TMB-8 was without effect in high K+ media. These results suggest that while enhanced amino acids efflux probably occurs through the same population of Ca/calmodulin-dependent, DIDS-sensitive pathways following hyposmotic shock or membrane depolarization, the source of Ca2+ ions required for the activation of these pathways may depend upon which of these acceleratory stimuli is applied.