Characteristics of glutamine vs glutamate transport in isolated glia and synaptosomes

Betaine in the Brain: Characterization of Betaine Uptake, its Influence on Other Osmolytes and its Potential Role in Neuroprotection from Osmotic Stress

Betaine (N-trimethylglycine), a common osmolyte, has received attention because of the number of clinical reports associating betaine supplementation with improved cognition, neuroprotection and exercise physiology. However, tissue analyses report little accumulation of betaine in brain tissue despite the presence of betaine/GABA transporters (BGT1) at the blood brain barrier and in nervous tissue, calling into question whether betaine influences neuronal function directly or indirectly. Therefore, the focus of this study was to determine what capacity nervous tissue has to accumulate betaine, specifically in the hippocampus, a region of the brain associated with learning and memory and one that is particularly susceptible to damage (e.g., seizure activity). Here we report that hippocampal slices actively accumulate betaine in a time, dose and osmolality dependent manner, resulting in peak intracellular concentrations four times extracellular concentrations within 8 h. Our data also indicate that betaine uptake differentially influences the accumulation of other osmolytes. Under isosmotic conditions, betaine uptake minimally impacted some osmolytes (e.g., glycerylphosphorylcholine and glutamate) while significantly reducing others (taurine, creatine, and myo-inositol). Under osmotic stress (hyperosmotic) conditions, we observed dramatic changes in osmolytes like glycine and glutamine-key players in inhibitory neurotransmission-and little change in osmolytes such as taurine, creatine and myo-inositol when betaine was available. These data suggest that betaine may influence pathways of inhibitory neurotransmitter production/recycling in addition to serving as an osmolyte and metabolic intermediate. In sum, our data provide detailed characterization of betaine uptake in the hippocampus that implicates betaine in the modulation of hippocampal neurophysiology and neuroprotection.

The role of glutamate transporters in neurodegenerative diseases and potential opportunities for intervention

Extracellular concentrations of the predominant excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate, and related excitatory amino acids are maintained at relatively low levels to ensure an appropriate signal-to-noise ratio and to prevent excessive activation of glutamate receptors that can result in cell death. The latter phenomenon is known as 'excitotoxicity' and has been associated with a wide range of acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders, as well as disorders that result in the loss of non-neural cells such as oligodendroglia in multiple sclerosis. Unfortunately clinical trials with glutamate receptor antagonists that would logically seem to prevent the effects of excessive receptor activation have been associated with untoward side effects or little clinical benefit. In the mammalian CNS, the extracellular concentrations of glutamate are controlled by two types of transporters; these include a family of Na(+)-dependent transporters and a cystine-glutamate exchange process, referred to as system X(c)(-). In this review, we will focus primarily on the Na(+)-dependent transporters. A brief introduction to glutamate as a neurotransmitter will be followed by an overview of the properties of these transporters, including a summary of the presumed physiologic mechanisms that regulate these transporters. Many studies have provided compelling evidence that impairing the function of these transporters can increase the sensitivity of tissue to deleterious effects of aberrant activation of glutamate receptors. Over the last decade, it has become clear that many neurodegenerative disorders are associated with a change in localization and/or expression of some of the subtypes of these transporters. This would suggest that therapies directed toward enhancing transporter expression might be beneficial. However, there is also evidence that glutamate transporters might increase the susceptibility of tissue to the consequences of insults that result in a collapse of the electrochemical gradients required for normal function such as stroke. In spite of the potential adverse effects of upregulation of glutamate transporters, there is recent evidence that upregulation of one of the glutamate transporters, GLT-1 (also called EAAT2), with beta-lactam antibiotics attenuates the damage observed in models of both acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders. While it seems somewhat unlikely that antibiotics specifically target GLT-1 expression, these studies identify a potential strategy to limit excitotoxicity. If successful, this type of approach could have widespread utility given the large number of neurodegenerative diseases associated with decreases in transporter expression and excitotoxicity. However, given the massive effort directed at developing glutamate receptor agents during the 1990s and the relatively modest advances to date, one wonders if we will maintain the patience needed to carefully understand the glutamatergic system so that it will be successfully targeted in the future.

Changes in the concentrations of amino acids in the cerebrospinal fluid that correlate with pain in patients with fibromyalgia: implications for nitric oxide pathways

Substance P (SP), a putative nociceptive transmitter, is increased in the CSF of patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Because excitatory amino acids (EAAs) also appear to transmit pain, we hypothesized that CSF EAAs may be similarly involved in this syndrome. We found that the mean concentrations of most amino acids in the CSF did not differ amongst groups of subjects with primary FMS (PFMS), fibromyalgia associated with other conditions (SFMS), other painful conditions not exhibiting fibromyalgia (OTHER) or age-matched, healthy normal controls (HNC). However, in SFMS patients, individual measures of pain intensity, determined using an examination-based measure of pain intensity, the tender point index (TPI), covaried with their respective concentrations of glutamine and asparagine, metabolites of glutamate and aspartate, respectively. This suggests that re-uptake and biotransformation mask pain-related increases in EAAs. Individual concentrations of glycine and taurine also correlated with their respective TPI values in patients with PFMS. While taurine is affected by a variety of excitatory manipulations, glycine is an inhibitory transmitter as well as a positive modulator of the N-methyl-D-asparate (NMDA) receptor. In both PFMS and SFMS patients, TPI covaried with arginine, the precursor to nitric oxide (NO), whose concentrations, in turn, correlated with those of citrulline, a byproduct of NO synthesis. These events predict involvement of NO, a potent signaling molecule thought to be involved in pain processing. Together these metabolic changes that covary with the intensity of pain in patients with FMS may reflect increased EAA release and a positive modulation of NMDA receptors by glycine, perhaps resulting in enhanced synthesis of NO.

A novel system A isoform mediating Na+/neutral amino acid cotransport

A cDNA clone encoding a plasma membrane alanine-preferring transporter (SAT2) has been isolated from glutamatergic neurons in culture and represents the second member of the system A family of neutral amino acid transporters. SAT2 displays a widespread distribution and is expressed in most tissues, including heart, adrenal gland, skeletal muscle, stomach, fat, brain, spinal cord, colon, and lung, with lower levels detected in spleen. No signal is detected in liver or testis. In the central nervous system, SAT2 is expressed in neurons. SAT2 is significantly up-regulated during differentiation of cerebellar granule cells and is absent from astrocytes in primary culture. The functional properties of SAT2, examined using transfected fibroblasts and in cRNA-injected voltage-clamped Xenopus oocytes, show that small aliphatic neutral amino acids are preferred substrates and that transport is voltage- and Na(+)-dependent (1:1 stoichiometry), pH-sensitive, and inhibited by alpha-(methylamino)isobutyric acid (MeAIB), a specific inhibitor of system A. Kinetic analyses of alanine and MeAIB uptake by SAT2 are saturable, with Michaelis constants (K(m)) of 200-500 microm. In addition to its ubiquitous role as a substrate for oxidative metabolism and a major vehicle of nitrogen transport, SAT2 may provide alanine to function as the amino group donor to alpha-ketoglutarate to provide an alternative source for neurotransmitter synthesis in glutamatergic neurons.

Cloning and functional identification of a neuronal glutamine transporter

Glutamine is the preferred precursor for the neurotransmitter pool of glutamate, the major excitatory transmitter in the mammalian central nervous system. We have isolated a complementary DNA clone (designated GlnT) encoding a plasma membrane glutamine transporter from glutamatergic neurons in culture, and its properties have been examined using the T7 vaccinia system in fibroblasts. When GlnT is transfected into CV-1 cells, L-glutamine is the preferred substrate. Transport is Na(+)-dependent and inhibited by alpha-methylaminoisobutyric acid, a specific inhibitor of neutral amino acid transport system A. Kinetic analysis of glutamine uptake by GlnT is saturable, with a Michaelis constant (K(m)) of 489 +/- 88 microM at pH 7.4. Glutamine uptake mediated by GlnT is pH-sensitive with a 5-fold greater efficiency of uptake at pH 8.2 than at pH 6.6. Only the maximal velocity of transport increases without a significant change in K(m). The distribution of GlnT mRNA and protein in the central nervous system is widespread and is expressed on neurons that use glutamate as their neurotransmitter. In cultured cerebellar granule cells, GlnT is expressed only on neurons and is absent from astrocytes. GlnT expression increases concomitantly with the morphologic and functional differentiation of these cells in vitro, consistent with its role of supplying glutamatergic neurons with their neurotransmitter precursor. GlnT is the first member of the system A family of neutral amino acid transporters with 11 putative membrane-spanning domains and is a potential target to modulate presynaptic glutamatergic function.

Glutamine transport in cerebellar granule cells in culture

In the present study, uptake of glutamine by rat cerebellar granule cells, a predominantly glutamatergic nerve cell population, has been investigated. Glutamine is taken up by granule cells via at least three transport systems, A, ASC and L. The L-type low affinity system (K(m) = 2.6 mM) is the major transport system in the absence of Na+. The systems A and ASC represent the Na(+)-dependent transport routes, both with almost identical high affinity for glutamine (K(m) = 0.26 mM). Similar transport systems for glutamine are also found in cerebral cortical neurons, a predominantly GABAergic nerve cell population, and cerebral cortical astrocytes. The glutamine transport properties in granule cells, however, show a series of differences from that of cortical neurons and astrocytes: (1) uptake of glutamine by granule cells is primarily mediated by system A (54%), while contributions by system A in cortical neurons and astrocytes are less than 30%; (2) granule cells exhibit strikingly higher transport efficiency for glutamine (V(max)/K(m) = 20 min(-1) for system A as compared to the V(max)/K(m) ratio of 5 min(-1) in cortical neurons and astrocytes), and (3) the initial uptake rates and the steady-state accumulation levels of glutamine are two- to threefold higher in granule cells than that of cortical neurons and astrocytes. These results taken together suggest that in accordance with the important need to replenish the neurotransmitter pool of glutamate, glutamatergic neurons exhibit highly efficient transport systems to accumulate glutamine, one of the major precursors of glutamate.

Cerebral alanine transport and alanine aminotransferase reaction: alanine as a source of neuronal glutamate

Alanine transport and the role of alanine amino-transferase in the synthesis and consumption of glutamate were investigated in the preparation of rat brain synaptosomes. Alanine was accumulated rapidly via both the high- and low-affinity uptake systems. The high-affinity transport was dependent on the sodium concentration gradient and membrane electrical potential, which suggests a cotransport with Na+. Rapid accumulation of the Na(+)-alanine complex by synaptosomes stimulated activity of the Na+/K+ pump and increased energy utilization; this, in turn, activated the ATP-producing pathways, glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. Accumulation of Na+ also caused a small depolarization of the plasma membrane, a rise in [Ca2+]i, and a release of glutamate. Intra-synaptosomal metabolism of alanine via alanine amino-transferase, as estimated from measurements of N fluxes from labeled precursors, was much slower than the rate of alanine uptake, even in the presence of added oxoacids. The velocity of [15N]alanine formation from [15N]glutamine was seven to eight times higher than the rate of [15N]-glutamate generation from [15N]alanine. It is concluded that (a) overloading of nerve endings with alanine could be deleterious to neuronal function because it increases release of glutamate; (b) the activity of synaptosomal alanine aminotransferase is much slower than that of glutaminase and hence unlikely to play a major role in maintaining [glutamate] during neuronal activity; and (c) alanine amino-transferase might serve as a source of glutamate during recovery from ischemia/hypoxia when the alanine concentration rises and that of glutamate falls.

Behavioral and immunohistochemical changes in an experimental arthritis model in rats

An experimental arthritis induced by injection of kaolin and carrageenan into the knee joint resulted in a temporal relationship between glutamate dorsal horn content and paw withdrawal latency (PWL) which was positively correlated. Limping, guarding, increased response to heat stimuli (hyperalgesia) and altered staining patterns for glutamate (GLU), substance P (SP), and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were monitored in the awake behaving arthritic rat over a 1 week time course. A decrease in PWL occurred on the side ipsilateral to the inflamed knee as early as 4 h after the induction of arthritis indicating the animals are hyperalgesic. The PWL remained decreased through the first 24 h. Computer-assisted quantification of the density of immunohistochemical staining indicated the content of GLU, SP and CGRP was altered differentially throughout the time course of the arthritis. The changes observed for all three substances occurred across the entire superficial dorsal horn. There was an initial depletion of SP followed by an increase in both SP and CGRP content which was maintained through 1 week. The GLU content was increased during the hyperalgesic period. The GLU changes followed the same time course and were positively correlated with the changes in PWL. In a small group of animals injected with kaolin and carrageenan, hyperalgesia did not develop. In this group of animals, no change in dorsal horn GLU or SP content occurred. Rather, there was an increase in CGRP content in the middle portion of the superficial dorsal horn which is the termination site of knee joint afferents. These data indicate that the development of heat hyperalgesia is dependent on GLU and possibly SP. Since inflammation of the knee joint does not involve the foot pad, the heat hyperalgesia observed during the first 24 h following induction of arthritis represents a central neuronal sensitization.

Spinal cord amino acid release and content in an arthritis model: the effects of pretreatment with non-NMDA, NMDA, and NK1 receptor antagonists

An experimental arthritis, induced by injection of the knee joint with kaolin and carrageenan, results in guarding of and decreased weight bearing on the limb. At the time of injection, a transient increased release of all amino acids examined is measurable in samples collected by microdialysis. A second and prolonged increase of aspartate (ASP), glutamate (GLU), and glutamine (GLN) concentrations follows after 3 h. The increased release at time of injection is blocked by microdialysis application of a non-N-methyl-D-aspartate (non-NMDA) or an NMDA receptor antagonist, and the release of ASP, GLU, and GLN in the late phase is blocked by pretreatment with a non-NMDA (CNQX), an NMDA (AP7) or a neurokinin 1 (NK1; CP-96,345) antagonist. Dorsal horn immunoreactive staining of GLU, substance P (SP), and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is reflective of the events occurring in the late phase of amino acid release since GLU release is positively correlated with GLU staining density. Increased immunoreactivity for GLU, SP, and CGRP at 8 hr in the arthritic animals is differentially altered by pretreatment of the spinal cord dorsal horn with non-NMDA, NMDA, or NK1 receptor antagonists. The differential staining pattern for GLU, SP, and CGRP, the differential release of ASP and GLU, and the differential activation of the EAA and NK1 receptors implies that ASP, GLU, SP, and CGRP are each involved in the processing of sensory information and that their roles in the central sensitization occurring with the inflammatory process, are unique.

Uptake and metabolism of glutamate and aspartate by astroglial and neuronal preparations of rat cerebellum

Astrocytes, neuronal perikarya and synaptosomes were prepared from rat cerebellum. Kinetics of high and low affinity uptake systems of glutamate and aspartate, nominal rates of 14CO2 production from [U-14C]glutamate, [U-14C]aspartate and [1-14C]glutamate and activities of enzymes of glutamate metabolism were studied in these preparations. The rate of uptake and the nomial rate of production of 14CO2 from these amino acids was higher in the astroglia than neuronal perikarya and synaptosomes. Activities of glutamine synthetase and glutamate dehydrogenase were higher in astrocytes than in neuronal perikarya and synaptosomes. Activities of glutaminase and glutamic acid decarboxylase were observed to be highest in neuronal perikarya and synaptosomes respectively. These results are in agreement with the postulates of theory of metabolic compartmentation of glutamate while others (presence of glutaminase in astrocytes and glutamine synthetase in synaptosomes) are not. Results of this study also indicated that (i) at high extracellular concentrations, glutamate/aspartate uptake may be predominantly into astrocytes while at low extracellular concentrations, it would be into neurons (ii) production of alpha-ketoglutarate from glutamate is chiefly by way of transamination but not by oxidative deamination in these three preparations and (iii) there are topographical differences glutamate metabolism within the neurons.

Subtypes of sodium-dependent high-affinity L-[3H]glutamate transport activity: pharmacologic specificity and regulation by sodium and potassium

Some data suggest that the sodium-dependent, high-affinity L-glutamate (Glu) transport sites in forebrain are different from those in cerebellum. In the present study, sodium-dependent transport of L-[3H]Glu was characterized in cerebellum and cortex. In both cerebellar and cortical tissue, activity was enriched in synaptosomes. Approximately 100 excitatory amino acid analogues were tested as potential inhibitors of transport activity. Many of the compounds tested inhibited transport activity by < 65% at 1 mM and were not studied further. One group of compounds exhibited inhibition conforming to theoretical curves with Hill coefficients of 1 and were < 10-fold selective as inhibitors of transport activity. These included three of the putative endogenous substrates for transport: L-Glu, L-aspartate, and L-cysteate. Four of the compounds exhibited inhibition conforming to theoretical curves with Hill coefficients of 1 and were > 10-fold selective as inhibitors. These included beta-N-oxalyl-L-alpha,beta-diaminopropionate, alpha-methyl-DL-glutamate, (2S,1'S,2'S)-2-(carboxycyclopropyl)glycine, and (2S,1'S,2'S,3'S)-2-(2-carboxy-3-methoxymethylcyclopropyl)glycine. Data obtained with a few of the inhibitors were consistent with two sites in one or both of the brain regions. (2S,1'R,2'R)-2-(Carboxycyclopropyl)glycine (L-CCG-II) was identified as the most potent (IC50 = 5.5 microM) and selective (60-100-fold) inhibitor of transport activity in cerebellum. One of the potential endogenous substrates, L-homocysteate, was also a selective inhibitor of cerebellar transport activity. The data for inhibition of transport activity in cortex by both L-CCG-II and L-homocysteate were best fit to two sites. Kainate was equipotent as an inhibitor of transport activity, and in both brain regions the data for inhibition were best fit to two sites. The possibility that there are four subtypes of excitatory amino acid transport is discussed. Altering sodium and potassium levels affects cerebellar and cortical transport activity differently, suggesting that the differences extend to other recognition sites on these transporters.

An experimental arthritis in rats: Dorsal horn aspartate and glutamate increases

Amino acid release in the dorsal horn of awake rats was examined by microdialysis during the development of arthritis induced by injection of 3% kaolin and 3% carrageenan into the knee joint. The following amino acids were measured by HPLC at baseline and for the first 8 h of arthritis: Asp, Glu, Asn, Gln, Ser, Gly and Tau. An initial increase in all amino acids examined was observed on injection of the knee joint with kaolin and carrageenan. Subsequently, there was a peak increase in Asp (184%), Glu (188%) and Gln (146%) during a prolonged release phase which began at 3.5 h and persisted at least 8 h. While Asn showed no changes from baseline, extracellular fluid concentrations of Ser, Gly and Tau were variable. This data indicates that the induction of arthritis is accompanied by an increased release of excitatory amino acids Asp and Glu which may be important in the generation of acute arthritis.

Neural changes in acute arthritis in monkeys. IV. Time-course of amino acid release into the lumbar dorsal horn

Extracellular levels of amino acids were measured during the development of experimental arthritis in anesthetized monkeys. Levels of glutamate, aspartate, glycine, serine, glutamine, taurine, cysteic acid and asparagine were each measured in consecutive 30 min samples before, during and for several hours after injection of kaolin and carrageenan into the articular capsule of one knee. Samples were obtained via a microdialysis probe placed in the lumbar dorsal horn ipsilateral to the injected knee and assayed using HPLC with fluorescence detection. Glutamate, aspartate, glycine and serine increased transiently following intra-articular injection of inflammatory agents. During this period glutamine levels decreased. A second phase of release then occurred which included more prolonged changes in amino acid levels that were sometimes of greater magnitude than those immediately following the injection. In animals which were later observed to have depletion of SP in the dorsal horn of the inflamed side, taurine levels increased starting after the Glu, Asp and Gly had plateaued at near baseline concentrations. Thus during the first stages of joint inflammation EAAs are released into the dorsal horn, followed by increased levels of IAAs, possibly representing activation of the descending endogenous analgesia system. This phase is followed by a semiacute response consisting in part of increased extracellular levels of SP and Tau. While SP is presumably part of an ascending nociceptive transmission system, Tau could be part of a second system aimed at reducing excessive neural activity including neural transmission resulting in intense maintained pain.

Transport of asparagine by rat brain synaptosomes: an approach to evaluate glutamine accumulation

Isolated rat brain synaptosomes accumulated L-asparagine with a Km value of 348 microM and a Vmax value of 3.7 nmol/mg of protein/min at 28 degrees C. Uptake of L-asparagine was inhibited by the presence of L-glutamine, whereas transport of L-glutamine was blocked by L-asparagine. Alanine, serine, cysteine, threonine, and, in particular, leucine were also inhibitory whereas alpha-(methylamino)isobutyrate, ornithine, lysine, arginine, and glutamate were much less effective blockers. Transport of L-asparagine had a substantial sodium-dependent component, whereas that of the D-stereoisomer was almost unaffected by the presence or absence of the cation. L-Asparagine was accumulated to a maximal gradient, [L-Asn]i/[L-Asn]o, of 20-30, and this value was reduced to 5-6 by withdrawal of sodium or addition of high [KCI]. A plot of log [Na+]o/[Na+]i against the log [L-Asn]i/[L-Asn]o had a slope close to I, which indicates that a single sodium ion is transported inward with each asparagine molecule. It is postulated that uptake of L-asparagine occurs, to a large extent, in cotransport with Na+ and that it utilizes the sodium chemical gradient and the membrane electrical potential as the source of energy. The similarity between the L-asparagine and L-glutamine transport systems and the reciprocal inhibition of influx of the two amino acids suggest that the same mechanism is responsible for glutamine accumulation. This could explain the high [Gln]i maintained by the brain in vivo.

The metabolism of malate by cultured rat brain astrocytes

Since malate is known to play an important role in a variety of functions in the brain including energy metabolism, the transfer of reducing equivalents and possibly metabolic trafficking between different cell types; a series of biochemical determinations were initiated to evaluate the rate of 14CO2 production from L-[U-14C]malate in primary cultures of rat brain astrocytes. The 14CO2 production from labeled malate was almost totally suppressed by the metabolic inhibitors rotenone and antimycin A suggesting that most of malate metabolism was coupled to the electron transport system. A double reciprocal plot of the 14CO2 production from the metabolism of labeled malate revealed biphasic kinetics with two apparent Km and Vmax values suggesting the presence of more than one mechanism of malate metabolism in these cells. Subsequent experiments were carried out using 0.01 mM and 0.5 mM malate to determine whether the addition of effectors would differentially alter the metabolism of high and low concentrations of malate. Effectors studied included compounds which could be endogenous regulators of malate metabolism and metabolic inhibitors which would provide information regarding the mechanisms regulating malate metabolism. Both lactate and aspartate decreased 14CO2 production from 0.01 mM and 0.5 mM malate equally. However, a number of effectors were identified which selectively altered the metabolism of 0.01 mM malate including aminooxyacetate, furosemide, N-acetylaspartate, oxaloacetate, pyruvate and glucose, but had little or no effect on the metabolism of 0.5 mM malate. In addition, alpha-ketoglutarate and succinate decreased 14CO2 production from 0.01 mM malate much more than from 0.5 mM malate. In contrast, a number of effectors altered the metabolism of 0.5 mM malate more than 0.01 mM. These included methionine sulfoximine, glutamate, malonate, alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate and ouabain. Both the biphasic kinetics and the differential action of many of the effectors on the 14CO2 production from 0.01 mM and 0.5 mM malate provide evidence for the presence of more than one pool of malate metabolism in cultured rat brain astrocytes.

Neuronal glutamine utilization: glutamine/glutamate homeostasis in synaptosomes

The synaptosomal metabolism of glutamine was studied under in vitro conditions that simulate depolarization in vivo. With [2-15N]glutamine as precursor, the [glutamine]i was diminished in the presence of veratridine or 50 mM KCl, but the total amounts of [15N]glutamate and [15N]aspartate formed were either equal to those of control incubations (veratridine) or higher (50 mM [KCl]). This suggests that depolarization decreases glutamine uptake and independently augments glutaminase activity. Omission of sodium from the medium was associated with low internal levels of glutamine which indicates that influx occurs as a charged Na(+)-amino acid complex. It is postulated that a reduction in membrane potential and a collapse of the Na+ gradient decrease the driving forces for glutamine accumulation and thus inhibit its uptake and enhance its release under depolarizing conditions. Inorganic phosphate stimulated glutaminase activity, particularly in the presence of calcium. At 2 mM or lower [phosphate] in the medium, calcium inhibited glutamine utilization and the production of glutamate, aspartate, and ammonia from glutamine. At a high (10 mM) medium [phosphate], calcium stimulated glutamine catabolism. It is suggested that a veratridine-induced increase in intrasynaptosomal inorganic phosphate is responsible for the enhancement of flux through glutaminase; calcium affects glutaminase indirectly by modulating the level of free intramitochondrial [phosphate]. Because phosphate also lowers the Km of glutaminase for glutamine, augmentation of the amino acid breakdown may occur even when depolarization lowers [glutamine]i. Reducing the intrasynaptosomal glutamate to 26 nmol/mg of protein had little effect on glutamine catabolism, but raising the pH to 7.9 markedly increased formation of glutamate and aspartate. It is concluded that phosphate and H+ are the major physiologic regulators of glutaminase activity.

Neurochemical and electrophysiological studies on the inhibitory effect of ammonium ions on synaptic transmission in slices of rat hippocampus: evidence for a postsynaptic action

To elucidate the mechanisms involved in the inhibition of synaptic transmission by ammonium ions, the effects of NH4Cl on glutamate release and on synaptic transmission from Schaffer collaterals to CA1 pyramidal cells were measured in fully submerged slices of rat hippocampus. The large, Ca(2+)-dependent release of glutamate evoked by electrical-field stimulation or by 56 mM K+ was not reduced by 5 mM NH4Cl. In contrast, 5 mM NH4Cl decreased the smaller, field stimulation-induced release of glutamate observed in the presence of low concentrations of Ca2+ (0.1 mM), as well as the spontaneous release of glutamate both in normal and low Ca2+. Unlike the Ca(2+)-dependent release of glutamate, synaptic transmission was reversibly depressed even by 1 mM NH4 Cl. Firing of CA1 pyramidal cells evoked by iontophoretically applied glutamate was significantly inhibited by 2 or 5 mM NH4Cl. This depression was increased in the presence of 25 microM bicuculline. Results suggest that ammonium ions do not depress the Ca(2+)-dependent release of glutamate originating from synaptic vesicles, which is involved in synaptic transmission. Rather, ammonium ions inhibit synaptic transmission by a postsynaptic action, a conclusion strengthened by the inhibitory effect of NH4Cl on glutamate-induced firing. However, NH4Cl may inhibit the formation of cytoplasmic glutamate, the source of spontaneous and Ca(2+)-independent release.

High-affinity glutamine uptake of the rat hippocampus during postnatal development: a quantitative autoradiographic study

Glutamine uptake into hippocampal slices of the rat was investigated autoradiographically. The characteristics of registered [14C]glutamine uptake such as the incubation with the radiolabelled amino acid at a concentration of 3.5 mumol/l, sodium dependency, the distribution pattern of radioactive material, and the postnatal development of uptake capacity are comparable with those of high-affinity uptake of glutamate. Densitometric evaluation of grain density over hippocampal layers exhibited a marked enhancement of uptake capacity in the neuropil areas during the first postnatal weeks. In the strata oriens and radiatum (CA1) radiolabelling increased from day 2 to 25 by about 390 and 410%, in the strata oriens and lacunosum-moleculare of CA3 by about 350 and 375%, respectively. In contrast, the rise in the accumulation rate in cell body layers was negligible. The temporal and topographical profiles of glutamine uptake in the hippocampal neuropil correlated with those of the activity of phosphate-activated glutaminase and parameters of maturation of the glutamatergic transmission system which have fairly similar time characteristics, suggesting a mutually causative relationship of all these factors.

High-affinity transport of L-glutamine by a plasma membrane preparation from rat brain

Plasma membrane vesicles prepared from rat brain contain a saturable, high-affinity transport system for L-glutamine that exhibits the following characteristics: (1) The rate of L-glutamine transport is linear up to 200 micrograms/mL membrane protein. (2) Transport of [3H]-L-glutamine is linear with time for at least 10 min, is significantly reduced by lowering the assay temperature to 4 degrees C, and is essentially abolished by the addition of excess unlabeled L-glutamine. (3) The transport rate is optimal in the range of pH 7.4-8.2. (4) The system exhibits a Km for L-glutamine of approximately 1.7 microM and a Vmax of approximately 46 pmol/(min.mg of protein). (5) The system is not highly dependent upon the addition of monovalent or divalent cations. (6) Inhibitor studies reveal that the amino acid amides exhibit the highest affinity for the system and that there is a high specificity for the L-isomers.

Neuronal glutamine utilization: pathways of nitrogen transfer studied with [15N]glutamine

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to evaluate the metabolism of [15N]glutamine in isolated rat brain synaptosomes. In the presence of 0.5 mM glutamine, synaptosomes accumulated this amino acid to a level of 25-35 nmol/mg protein at an initial rate greater than 9 nmol/min/mg of protein. The metabolism of [15N]glutamine generated 15N-labelled glutamate, aspartate, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). An efflux of both [15N]glutamate and [15N]aspartate from synaptosomes to the medium was observed. Enrichment of 15N in alanine could not be detected because of a limited pool size. Elimination of glucose from the incubation medium substantially increased the rate and amount of [15N]aspartate formed. It is concluded that: (1) With 0.5 mM external glutamine, the glutaminase reaction, and not glutamine transport, determines the rate of metabolism of this amino acid. (2) The primary route of glutamine catabolism involves aspartate aminotransferase which generates 2-oxoglutarate, a substrate for the tricarboxylic acid cycle. This reaction is greatly accelerated by the omission of glucose. (3) Glutamine has preferred access to a population of synaptosomes or to a synaptosomal compartment that generates GABA. (4) Synaptosomes maintain a constant internal level of glutamate plus aspartate of about 70-80 nmol/mg protein. As these amino acids are produced from glutamine in excess of this value, they are released into the medium. Hence synaptosomal glutamine and glutamate metabolism are tightly regulated in an interrelated manner.

Effects of fasting and diabetes on some enzymes and transport of glutamate in cortex slices or synaptosomes from rat brain

Phosphate-activated glutaminase (PAG) and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) were assayed in homogenates and synaptosomes obtained from starved (48 hr or 120 hr) and diabetic (streptozotocin) rat brain cortex. Glutamine synthetase (GS) was assayed in homogenates, microsomal and soluble fractions, from brain cortex of similarly treated rats. L-Glutamate uptake and exit rates were determined in cortex slices and synaptosomes under the same conditions. The specific activity (s.a.) of PAG, a glutamate producing enzyme, decreased (50%) in the homogenate after 120-hr starvation. In synaptosomes it decreased (25%) only after 48-hr starvation. The s.a. of GAD and GS, which are glutamate-consuming enzymes, were progressively increased with time of starvation, reaching 39% and 55% respectively after 120 hr. GS in the microsomes or the soluble fraction and GAD in the synaptosomes showed no change in s.a. under these conditions. Diabetes increased (40%) microsomal GS s.a. and decreased GAD s.a. (18%) in the homogenate. The L-glutamate uptake rate was decreased (48%) by diabetes in slices but no in synaptosomes. It is suggested that a) enzymes of the glutamate system respond differently in different subcellular fractions towards diabetes or deprivation of food and b) diabetes may affect the uptake system in glial cells but not in neurons.

Production of tumor growth-inhibiting protein by the neonatal mouse brain: dependence on intracellular glutamine metabolism

We previously reported that the mouse brain at the neonatal stage but not at the adult stage secreted a carcinostatic factor of 62,000 Da, termed NBCF, which inhibited clonal growth and DNA synthesis of malignant cells preferentially over those of normal cells. In the present study, NBCF production by the neonatal mouse brain in culture was investigated. Addition of L-glutamine to the culture medium markedly promoted NBCF production in a concentration-dependent manner. The production seemed to be specific to glutamine, since no promotive effect was exerted by L-glutamic acid, its analogue DL-alpha-aminoadipic acid, L-aspargine, or L-aspartic acid or by other amino acids or vitamins. NBCF production was markedly reduced in culture medium either devoid of L-glutamine or containing 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine, a glutamine antagonist, or L-methionine sulfoximine, an inhibitor of glutamine synthetase. Thus NBCF production was promoted by extracellular supply, intracellular synthesis, and utilization of L-glutamine but was not affected by its deamidated form or homologue amino acids. On the other hand, NBCF production was completely repressed by addition of cycloheximide to the culture medium. The repressive effect was also exerted by actinomycin D although not completely, whereas cytosine beta-D-arabinofuranoside did not repress NBCF production. These results indicated that NBCF production by cultivation was independent of DNA replication but dependent mostly on a transcription stage and its following stages and partly on a translation stage from the preexisting mRNA to the protein.

Preferential glutamine uptake in rat brain synaptic mitochondria

Glutamine uptake has been studied in purified rat brain mitochondria of synaptic or non-synaptic origin. It was taken up by an active saturable transport mechanism, with an affinity two-times higher in synaptic than in non-synaptic mitochondria (Km = 0.45 and 0.94 mM, respectively). Vmax of uptake was 7-times higher in synaptic mitochondria (Vmax = 9.2 and 1.3 nmol/min per mg protein, respectively). Glutamine transport was found to be inhibited by L-glutamate (IC50 = 0.64 mM) as well as thiol reagents (mersalyl, N-ethylmaleimide). It is suggested that differential uptake of glutamine in mitochondria of synaptic or non-synaptic origin may be a major mechanism in the regulation of the synthesis of the neurotransmitter glutamate.

GABA and serotonin (5-HT) pattern in the supraependymal fibers of the rat epithalamus: combined radioautographic and immunocytochemical studies. Effect of 5-HT content on [3H]GABA accumulation

Numerous studies have suggested the serotoninergic nature of the supraependymal plexuses; moreover, several supraependymal fibers are also able to take up [3H]GABA and could be GABA-containing fibers. In this approach, by combined immunocytochemistry and radioautography, we analyzed and compared the distribution of endogenous and exogenous GABA and 5-HT in the supraependymal layer, after inhibition of their respective catabolisms. The majority of the supraependymal fibers are reactive to GABA and 5-HT antisera which indicates that they could contain both GABA and 5-HT. Furthermore it is possible to show that endogenous 5-HT containing fibers are able to accumulate [3H]GABA and conversely. These data point to a functional role for both neurotransmitters in these nerve elements. On the other hand, GABA and 5-HT contents may be connected since p-chlorophenylalanine treatment which inhibits 5-HT synthesis increased [3H]GABA labelling of these plexuses. Finally, several supraependymal fibers are also able to take up [3H]glutamate (but not [3H]glutamine); this compound might be accumulated as GABA precursor and/or as neurotransmitter.

Neurotransmitter uptake in various brain regions of chronically morphinized rats

Rats were long-term morphine-intoxicated by a fluid-diet model ensuring an equal nutrient intake in morphinized and control rats. Uptake of neurotransmitters and D-ala2-met5-enkephalinamide (Enk) was studied in the particulate fractions (obtained at 10,000 g) from well defined brain regions of long-term intoxicated and morphine withdrawn rats. In control animals the accumulation of [3H]glutamate and [3H]gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) reached the highest tissue/medium (T/M) ratio values, 30-120, in the regions studied while monoamine T/M values were 2-10. No active uptake of [3H]Enk could be demonstrated. Striatum showed the most evident modifications in neurotransmitter uptake. In this region the equilibrium T/M ratio for [3H]glutamate and [3H]GABA was significantly lower in intoxicated rats versus controls. Moreover, the T/M ratio for [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) was lower, while that for [3H]dopamine (DA) was higher in abstinent rats in comparison with the controls. [3H]glutamate and [3H]GABA uptakes were also significantly lower, respectively, in frontal cortex, hippocampus and brain stem in intoxicated rats, while [3H]5-HT uptake was significantly lower in hypothalamus after morphine withdrawal. The possible involvement of the endogenous opioid system in the etiology of the alterations is discussed.

Heterogeneity of sodium-dependent excitatory amino acid uptake mechanisms in rat brain

The pharmacologic and kinetic characteristics of sodium-dependent uptake of [3H]L-glutamate, [3H]D-aspartate, and [3H]L-aspartate into crude synaptosomal preparations of rat corpus striatum and cerebellum have been examined in vitro. In cerebellum the apparent Kts and Vmax for the three excitatory amino acids were identical whereas in striatal synaptosomes, the Vmax for [3H]L-glutamate was 30% greater (P less than or equal to .001) than for [3H]D-aspartate and 50% greater (P less than or equal to .001) than for [3H]L-aspartate. L-Amino adipic acid inhibited the uptake of the three amino acids in both regions of brain was 15- to 20-fold more potent in cerebellum than in striatum. In contrast, dihydrokainic acid inhibited transport processes in the corpus striatum but was without activity in cerebellar preparations. The neurotoxin kainic acid blocked only a portion (60%) of [3H]L-glutamate and [3H]D-aspartate uptake in cerebellum while completely inhibiting amino acid transport in corpus striatum. Three days post kainic acid lesion, [3H]D-aspartate uptake was attenuated more than [3H]L-glutamate uptake in the corpus striatum; destruction of corticostriatal afferents reduced [3H]L-glutamate to a greater extent than [3H]D-aspartate. Various lesions of the cerebellum affected excitatory amino acid transport processes to a similar extent. These results suggest that excitatory amino acid transport systems are pharmacologically distinct in different brain regions and may be heterogeneous within a single region.

The uptake and metabolism of L-glutamate by tissue slices of the cestode Hymenolepis diminuta

The in vitro uptake of L-[3H]glutamate by tissue slices of the cestode Hymenolepis diminuta, denuded of tegument, was investigated. Two sodium concentration-dependent mechanisms, one of high affinity (Kt 1.8 X 10(-5) M; Vmax 4.76 pMoles/min/mg wet weight) and another of low affinity (Kt 2.2 X 10(-4) M; Vmax 50.7 pMoles/min/mg wet weight), were identified, in addition to a sodium insensitive component. Exchange of preloaded [3H]glutamate did not occur in tissue slices incubated in dilute unlabelled glutamate. Acidic amino acids, imipramine and fluoxetine were effective inhibitors of high and low affinity uptake, while glutamate receptor ligands, neurotransmitters and some antihelminthics generally were not. The concentrations present in, and the metabolism of glutamate by, tissue slices was examined by HPLC. The significance of the three modes of glutamate uptake and their possible role in the physiology of H. diminuta are discussed.

Amino acid and monoamine transport in primary astroglial cultures from defined brain regions

The uptake of L-[3H]glutamate, L-[3H]aspartate, gamma-[3H]aminobutyric acid (GABA), [3H]dopamine, DL-[3H]norepinephrine and [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) was studied in astrocytes cultured from the cerebral cortex, striatum and brain stem of newborn rat and grown for 2 weeks in primary cultures. The astrocytes exhibited a high-affinity L-glutamate uptake with Km values ranging from 11 to 110 microM. Vmax values were 4.5 in cerebral cortex, 39.1 in striatum, and 0.4 in brain stem, nmol per mg cell protein per min. There was a less prominent high-affinity uptake of L-aspartate with Km values from 88 to 187 microM. Vmax values were 7.4 in cerebral cortex, 37.1 in striatum, and 3.1 in brain stem, nmol per mg cell protein per min. The high-affinity GABA uptake exhibited Km values ranging from 5 to 17 microM and Vmax values were 0.01 for cerebral cortex, 0.04 for striatum, and 0.1 for brain stem, nmol per mg cell protein per min. No high-affinity, high-capacity uptake was found for the monoamines. The results demonstrate a heterogeneity among the astroglial cells cultivated from the different brain regions concerning the uptake capacity of amino acid neurotransmitters. Furthermore, amino acid transmitters and monoamines are taken up by the cells in different ways.

Transport of monoamine and amino acid neurotransmitters by primary astroglial cultures

The transport of [3H]L-glutamate, [3H]L-aspartate, [3H] gamma-aminobutyric acid [( 3H]GABA), [3H]dopamine, [3H]norepinephrine and [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine (3H-5-HT) was measured in primary astroglial cultures from newborn rat cerebral hemispheres. There was a high-affinity uptake with a Km of 69.0 microM for L-glutamate, 12.3 microM for L-aspartate and 3.1 microM for GABA. The uptake showed properties of high capacity with a Vmax of 17.0 nmol X mg prot-1 X min-1 for L-glutamate, 1.1 nmol X mg prot-1 X min-1 for L-aspartate and 0.04 nmol X mg prot-1 X min-1 for GABA. No high-affinity high capacity transport system was found for the monoamines studied. Autoradiographic examination demonstrated a heavy deposit of grains suggesting a prominent accumulation of [3H]L-glutamate and [3H]L-aspartate in the astroglial-like cells of the cultures, while the [3H]GABA accumulation was less intense. On the other hand, there was only a weak accumulation of grains after incubating the cultures with [3H]dopamine, [3H]norepinephrine or [3H]5-HT. Thus, astroglial cells in culture accumulate amino acid neurotransmitters and monoamines in different ways with a high-affinity high-capacity uptake of glutamate, aspartate and GABA and a diffusion-uptake of dopamine, norepinephrine and 5-HT.

Selective culture of neurons from rat cerebral cortex: morphological characterization, glutamate uptake and related enzymes during maturation in various culture media

Dissociated cerebral cortex of fetal rat was grown in a serum-free, chemically defined medium (CDM) (containing insulin, progesterone, estradiol, transferrin, putrescine, selenium and 15 mM KCl) and compared with cultures grown in a medium containing 20% fetal calf serum (SCM). Neurons survived well using either medium, but in the serum-free medium the cellular population was exclusively neuronal (at 96%), while glial cells began to proliferate after one week in the SCM. The various cellular morphologies are described in the present report and the presence of immunological markers characteristic of neurons was investigated. Autoradiographic experiments have been performed after incubation with various putative neurotransmitters and we have shown the presence of a strikingly high proportion of glutamatergic neurons in these cultures. Glutamate high affinity uptake was also greatly increased in neuronal cultures maintained in a CDM compared to a SCM, especially in young cultures. The development of different enzymes involved in the metabolism of glutamate was also studied; the specific activity of glutaminase increased in culture and was found to be higher in a CDM than in a SCM, while the inverse was true for glutamine synthetase. The relative proportion of both enzymes in neurons compared to glial cells was opposite, as neuronal cultures had higher levels of glutaminase and glial cultures were enriched in glutamine synthetase activity. It seems that the proportion of glutamate-neurons increases when cultured in a CDM compared to a SCM and we suggest that this culture procedure may provide a purely neuronal population enriched in mature glutamatergic neurons. It may thus be useful for future in vitro studies on glutamate and GABA metabolism in neurons.

Glial and neuronal glutamate transport following glutamine synthetase inhibition

Glutamate transport into striatal tissue preparations was studied following inhibition of glutamine synthetase with methionine sulfoximine (MSO). Glutamate uptake in striatal tissue prisms was elevated for up to 7 days following an intraventricular (i.c.v.) injection of MSO. Kinetic analysis of glutamate uptake revealed that a high- and a low-affinity carrier system mediated the transport of glutamate into tissue slices. MSO altered the transport of glutamate via the high-affinity carrier without changing the characteristics of low-affinity glutamate transport. MSO increased the Km for glutamate and the Vmax at the high-affinity uptake site. The changes in the Km and the Vmax for glutamate uptake were maximal 24 hr after administration of MSO, but the transport system returned to normal by 14 days after injection. In addition, MSO increased high-affinity aspartate uptake into tissue slices, but it was without effect on leucine uptake. Glutamate uptake into striatal synaptosomes and bulk-isolated glial cells or neurons was, in all cases, mediated by a low- and high-affinity carrier. The Km and Vmax values for high-affinity glial-glutamate uptake were increased 24 hr after i.c.v. injection of MSO, while the low-affinity kinetic parameters for glial glutamate uptake were not altered by MSO. Neither high-affinity nor low-affinity glutamate uptake into bulk-isolated neurons or synaptosomes was altered by MSO 24 hr after injection. These results suggest that MSO induced alterations in glutamate transport within striatal slices may be due to changes in glial glutamate transport arising from the disruption of glutamate metabolism.

Substrate oxidation by isolated rat brain mitochondria and synaptosomes

The rates of [6-14C]-glucose oxidation by reconstituted systems of cytosol and mitochondria or cytosol and synaptosomes were essentially the same as the rate of oxidation of [3-14C]-3-hydroxybutyrate. However, the rate of [U-14C]-glutamine oxidation by mitochondria was 2.5 times that by synaptosomes. The addition of glutamine (5 mM) caused a reduction in the rates of oxidation [6-14C]-glucose of 20% and 40% by mitochondria and synaptosomes, respectively. Conversely, the addition of glucose (5 mM) had little or no effect on the rate of [U-14C]-glutamine oxidation by either organelle. Amino-oxyacetate decreased [U-14C]-glutamine oxidation by mitochondria more than 35% but had little or no effect on the rate of glutamine oxidation by synaptosomes. When glucose (5 mM) was added to [3-14C]-3-hydroxybutyrate, the rates of oxidation by the mitochondria and synaptosomes were increased by 65% and 77%, respectively. However, in the reverse situation the addition of 3-hydroxybutyrate decreased [6-14C]-glucose oxidation by synaptosomes (35%) but did not decrease the rate by mitochondria. These results suggest that differences in the rates of substrate utilization by mitochondria and synaptosomes and differences in substrate interactions in these two subcellular organelles may contribute to metabolic compartmentation in the brain.

Characteristics of dopamine and GABA transport in primary cultures of astroglial cells

Primary astroglial cultures were grown from newborn rat cerebral hemispheres. Cultures, aged 7 and 14 days, were analysed with respect to their capacity to accumulate radioactive GABA and dopamine. Concentrative high-affinity uptake, showing Na+-dependence was observed for GABA where Km and Vmax were not significantly altered with age of the culture. No Na+-dependent high-affinity transport of dopamine was observed. The addition of 0.1 mM dibutyryl-cyclic-3'-5'-adenosinemonophosphate (dB-cAMP) after removal of fetal calf-serum reduced the Vmax as well as the Km of 3H-GABA uptake. The ionic dependence of 3H-GABA and 3H-dopamine was not significantly altered following this treatment. The results are difficult to interpret in terms of a potentiated differentiation of the cells.

Glutamine oxidation by dissociated cells and homogenates of rat brain: kinetics and inhibitor studies

The rates of [U-14C]glutamine oxidation to 14CO2 were determined under a variety of experimental conditions using whole homogenates and dissociated cells from rat brain. The pattern of glutamine oxidation by homogenates differed from that by dissociated brain cells in several respects. The rates of glutamine oxidation by dissociated brain cells showed saturation kinetics with an apparent Km of 0.30 mM. Lineweaver-Burk plots of glutamine oxidation by homogenates revealed two linear segments with two apparent Km values (0.58 mM and 3.0 mM). In the presence of aminooxyacetate, however, the Lineweaver-Burk plots for homogenates were linear with a single Km of 0.47 mM. The oxidation of glutamine by homogenates was inhibited by both rotenone and antimycin A (80-85%), as were glutamate and glucose oxidation, suggesting that a significant amount of glutamine is oxidized via the tricarboxylic acid cycle. In the presence of aminooxyacetate, glutamine oxidation was inhibited less than 40%, whereas the oxidation of glutamate was inhibited 75%; in contrast, glucose oxidation was enhanced 50%. The rates of glutamine oxidation by homogenates were highest in the presence of high levels of potassium (50 mM) and low levels of sodium (2.5 mM). Varying ionic composition, however, had little or no effect on the rates of glutamine oxidation by dissociated brain cells. Measurements of glutamine oxidation by homogenates prepared from 2-, 10-, 15-, 25-, and 90-day-old rats revealed little or no age-dependent difference. In contrast, the oxidation by dissociated brain cells from 2-day-old animals was significantly less than that obtained for animals 10 days or older (7.76 vs. 15.6 nmol/h/mg).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cellular composition of a cerebral hemisphere primary culture

In this overview attention is given to available markers and methods for characterizing cell elements in a culture system. Primary cultures from newborn rat cerebral hemispheres were grown for 14 days. The population of cells was dominated by astrocytic glial cells (60-70%), but cells with properties of macrophages, endothelial-like cells, mesenchymal-like cells, ependymal-like cells, and oligoblasts were also found. Neither mature neurons nor oligodendroglial cells were observed. The enrichment in astroglial-like cells makes the cultures a satisfactory astroglial-cell model, at least for some purposes.

Accumulation of putative amino acid neurotransmitters, monoamines and D-Ala2-Met-enkephalinamide in primary astroglial cultures from various brain areas, visualized by autoradiography

The accumulation of amino acids, monoamines and D-Ala2-Met-enkephalinamide (Enk) was visualized by autoradiography in astroglial primary cultures from different well-defined brain areas. The most prominent accumulation of grains was seen after incubating astroglial cultures from cerebral cortex, hippocampus and striatum with glutamate. Less uptake was seen in brainstem and cerebellar cultures. Similar results were found with aspartate but at a lower uptake level. The accumulation of GABA was moderate in all cultures studied. Dopamine, norepinephrine and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) showed only a slight accumulation and enkephaline did not accumulate at all. The results demonstrate that astroglial cells are not general inactivators for neurotransmitters, as monoamines are taken up only slightly and enkephalin not at all, while the cells have the capacity to accumulate at least some amino acid neurotransmitters. Furthermore, astroglial cells from different brain regions have different capacities to accumulate the various amino acid neurotransmitters supporting the view of regionally specialized astroglial cells.

Evoked release of aspartate and glutamate: disparities between prelabeling and direct measurement

Slices prepared from hippocampus were dual prelabeled with [14C]L-glutamate and [3H]D-aspartate and superfused in the presence or absence of kainic acid (KA; 1 mM) or KCl (40 mM). Drug-evoked release of radioactivity as well as the endogenous amino acids, glutamate and aspartate were determined. Whereas KCl-induced a Ca2+-dependent release of all compounds, only the release of the endogenous amino acids was stimulated by KA. The results of the present study demonstrate that disparities exist between the Ca2+-dependent drug-evoked release of exogenously supplied and endogenous acidic amino acid neurotransmitters.

Uptake and metabolism of L-[3H]glutamate and L-[3H]glutamine in adult rat cerebellar slices

Using very low concentrations (1 mumol range) of L-2-3-[3H]glutamate, (3H-Glu) or L-2-3-[3H]glutamine (3H-Gln), we have previously shown by autoradiography that these amino acids were preferentially taken up in the molecular layer of the cerebellar cortex. Furthermore, the accumulation of 3H-Glu was essentially glial in these conditions. We report here experiments in which uptake and metabolism of either (3H-Glu) or (3H-Gln) were studied in adult rat cerebellar slices. Both amino acids were rapidly converted into other metabolic compounds: after seven minutes of incubation in the presence of exogenous 3H-Glu, 70% of the tissue accumulated radioactivity was found to be in compounds other than glutamate. The main metabolites were Gln (42%), alpha-ketoglutarate (25%) and GABA (1,4%). In the presence of exogenous 3H-Gln the rate of metabolism was slightly slower (50% after seven minutes of incubation) and the metabolites were also Glu (29%), alpha-ketoglutarate (15%) and GABA (5%). Using depolarizing conditions (56 mM KCl) with either exogenous 3H-Glu or 3H-Gln, the radioactivity was preferentially accumulated in glutamate compared to control. From these results we conclude: i) there are two cellular compartments for the neurotransmission-glutamate-glutamine cycle; one is glial, the other neuronal; ii) these two cellular compartments contain both Gln and Glu; iii) transmitter glutamate is always in equilibrium with the so-called "metabolic" pool of glutamate; iv) the regulation of the glutamate-glutamine cycle occurs at least at two different levels: the uptake of glutamate and the enzymatic activity of the neuronal glutaminase.

Uptake of L-glutamine into synaptosomes. Is the gamma-glutamyl cycle involved?

Transport of L-glutamine into rat cortical synaptosomes has been investigated by (14C)L-glutamine uptake experiments. This amino acid enters synaptosomes both by an active carrier mediated system, which may be the result of gamma-glutamyl cycle activity and by a Na+-dependent transport system. This view is supported by the following observations: a) as demonstrated previously (10), glutamine inside synaptosomes reaches concentrations higher than those of the incubation medium, and initial rates of uptake approach saturation kinetics; b) the uptake of glutamine is inhibited by uncouplers; c) the uptake is inhibited by methionine sulfoximine, a suicide-inhibitor of an enzyme of the gamma-glutamyl cycle; d) the initial rate of uptake is lowered by decreasing the Na+-level of the incubation medium or by adding ouabain. The validity of this hypothesis is discussed.

The corticopontine projection: axotomy-induced loss of high affinity L-glutamate and D-aspartate uptake, but not of gamma-aminobutyrate uptake, glutamate decarboxylase or choline acetyltransferase, in the pontine nuclei

The corticopontine fibres were severed in the crus cerebri in rats and mice by a stereotaxically operated retractable wire-knife. The pontine nuclei were microscopically dissected from fresh slices of rats and synaptosome-containing homogenates were prepared. The high affinity uptake of radiolabelled L-glutamate (L-Glu) and D-aspartate (D-Asp) was heavily reduced five days after the lesions. The uptake was further reduced after bilateral (-75% for D-Asp and -65% for L-Glu) than after unilateral lesions (-55% for D-Asp and -45 to 50% for L-Glu on the lesioned side.) The molar ratio of the uptakes of D-Asp and L-Glu was consistently lower in pons after transection of the cortical afferents than normally (-28% after bilateral lesions). gamma-Aminobutyrate uptake and glutamic acid decarboxylase were not changed. Choline acetyltransferase was increased (+53%) after unilateral lesions, but not altered after bilateral lesions. Autoradiograms of slices from mice, incubated with tritium-labelled amino acids and fixed in glutaraldehyde, showed high affinity uptake sites for D-Asp to be enriched in the pontine nuclei, compared to neighbouring structures. After partial lesion of the crus cerebri the uptake was reduced in the area with degenerated corticopontine afferents. gamma-Aminobutyrate uptake sites were relatively less concentrated in the pontine nuclei than D-Asp uptake sites. The results indicate, along with the previous demonstration of Ca-dependent K-induced release of D-[3H]aspartate from the corticopontine terminals, that glutamate and/or aspartate may be transmitters in this pathway. The results also suggest that acidic amino acid uptake sites may differ in their relative transport rates for aspartate and glutamate.

Glutamine and glutamate transport in cultured neuronal and glial cells

The uptake of L-glutamine in neuronal and glial cultures derived from rat cerebral hemispheres was found to be mediated by a low affinity-high capacity mechanism which was concentrative in both cell types; the calculated Km and Vmax were twice as high in glial than in neuronal cultures. In contrast L-glutamate was taken up by a high affinity system which was particularly efficient and concentrative in the glial cells. Different transport mechanisms for L-glutamine appeared to operate in the two cell types: L-glutamine uptake in neurons was sodium-dependent, specifically inhibited by L-glutamine but not affected by high potassium concentrations in the external medium; on the other hand, glial glutamine transport was decreased when potassium concentration increased, was sodium-independent and significantly inhibited by 3 structurally related amino acids. No significant contribution of homoexchange could be detected in either cell type. After [14C]glutamine preincubation, the radioactivity released into the superfusion medium by neuronal cells was increased in the presence of a high potassium concentration; no such effect could be seen in the case of glial cultures. A regulatory mechanism is suggested where astrocyte depolarization and repolarization would channel a flux of glutamine toward the neurons, subsequent to a glutamate flux in the opposite direction.

Derepression of the glutamine synthetase in neuroblastoma cells at low concentrations of glutamine

Regulation of the biosynthesis of glutamine synthetase was studied in neuroblastoma cells (Neuro-2A) by use of a recently developed, sensitive radioisotopic assay. The removal of glutamine from the culture medium of these cells for 24 h resulted in a 10-fold increase in glutamine synthetase specific activity (15-fold after 2 weeks) compared with the basal level found in cells grown in the presence of 2 mM glutamine. Following the growth of these cells for 2 weeks in the presence of various concentrations of glutamine, a negative linear correlation was observed between the specific activity of glutamine synthetase (from 1.7 to 0.14 unit/mg) and the concentration of glutamine in the growth medium (from 0.5 to 2 mM). Cycloheximide or actinomycin D blocked the increase in glutamine synthetase activity observed in the absence of glutamine. These results suggest that the removal of glutamine led to the induction of glutamine synthetase by stimulating new enzyme synthesis. The enzyme was not degraded, but only diluted, by growth upon readdition of glutamine to the medium. The influence of glutamine depletion is also reported for C-6 glioma cells and glial cells in primary cultures.

The activities in different neural cell types of certain enzymes associated with the metabolic compartmentation glutamate

The cellular distribution of certain enzymes associated with the metabolic compartmentation of glutamate was estimated in ultrastructurally preserved and metabolically competent perikarya fractions that were enriched in astrocytes, granule cells and Purkinje cells and derived from 8-day-old rat cerebellum, and in monolayer cultures (14 days in vitro) composed principally of interneurones or astrocytes. The neuronal activities of glutamine synthetase and glutamate dehydrogenase were respectively about 4- to 8-fold and 2- to 5-fold lower than in astrocytes, depending upon the class of neurone and the type of preparation used for comparison. By contrast glutaminase activity was about 3- to 12-fold higher in neuronal than in astroglial preparations. Estimations of the specific activity of succinate dehydrogenase differed less between cell types, indicating that the differences in glutamate dehydrogenase and glutaminase were not simply related to variations in the concentration of mitochondria relative to the other cellular constituents. The findings presented provide direct evidence in support of our model assigning the 'small' glutamate compartment, where most of the labelled glutamine is synthesized, to glial cells, and the 'large' compartment to neurones, and also underline the metabolic interaction between these two cell types in the brain.

Regulation of glutamate biosynthesis and release in vitro by low levels of ammonium ions

The content and release of endogenous amino acids from isolated rat hippocampal slices were measured. The tissue was perfused with control media and pulsed with high potassium media in order to induce synaptic release. Pathophysiological concentrations of ammonium ions (3--5 mM) were added to the control medium for 60 min prior to the induced release. Amino acids belonging to the putative transmitter group were released extensively during potassium perfusion and, except for glutamate, even after ammonium ion perfusion. The spontaneous secretion of glutamate increased, however, slowly after the addition of ammonia. The incorporation of 14C from radiolabelled glucose and acetate into the amino acid fraction was studied in the presence of ammonia-containing media. Glucose was utilized to a moderately increasing extent, but acetate-derived radioactivity was strikingly decreased in the amino acid fraction during ammonia perfusion. The decreased acetate incorporation into amino acids was mainly due to an inhibition by ammonia of the accumulation of acetate by the CNS tissue.