title: The effect of peripheral loading with kynurenine and probenecid on extracellular striatal kynurenic acid concentrations.
abstract: Kynurenic acid (KYA) is the only known endogenous excitatory amino acid antagonist in mammalian brain. In the present study we examined the effects of precursor loading with kynurenine (KYN) and blockade of organic acid transport with probenecid, either alone or in combination, on extracellular striatal KYA concentrations in unanesthetized rats. Baseline KYA concentrations were 1.61 +/- 0.29 pmol/ml. Following administration of KYN 150 mg/kg with increasing doses of probenecid a maximal increase in KYA to 946 +/- 210 pmol/ml was seen with probenecid 200 mg/kg. Probenecid 200 mg/kg alone increased KYA levels to 16.0 +/- 5.2 pmol/ml. The combination of probenecid 200 mg/kg with KYN 450 mg/kg produced a maximal increase of KYA to 2085 +/- 391 pmol/ml, a 1300-fold increase indicating marked potentiation. These results show that pharmacologic manipulation can markedly increase extracellular fluid concentrations of KYA into a range which may be useful in attempts to block NMDA receptor-mediated neurotoxicity.
authors: Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Miller
authors: U
authors: U
authors: MacGarvey
authors: M F
authors: MF
authors: Beal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D003956:Dialysis; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007736:Kynurenic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D007737:Kynurenine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009420:Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D011339:Probenecid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D007737:Kynurenine; D007736:Kynurenic Acid; D011339:Probenecid