title: The action of CGS-19755 on the redox enhancement of NMDA toxicity in rat cortical neurons in vitro.
abstract: The effects of the competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist CGS-19755 (cis-4-phosphonomethyl-2-piperidine carboxylic acid) were studied in cultures of rat cerebral cortex under normal and altered redox conditions. CGS-19755 was effective in preventing delayed neuronal death produced by an acute exposure to either glutamate (500 microM) or NMDA (200 microM), but was ineffective in protecting neurons against the toxicity induced by a prolonged exposure to kainate (500 microM). We observed that the reducing agent dithiothreitol (DTT, 500 microM), could dramatically enhance toxicity and electrophysiological responses produced by 50 microM NMDA. CGS-19755 (100 microM) could effectively block both of these effects of DTT. Any toxicity produced by DTT alone was also antagonized by CGS-19755. In contrast, oxidized DTT did not enhance NMDA toxicity nor was it toxic when added alone. These results indicate that CGS-19755 is an effective and specific neuroprotectant acting at the NMDA receptor in vitro, and that the enhancement in NMDA toxicity induced by DTT is mediated by an increase in activity at this receptor complex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA 15261.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aizenman
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Hartnett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004229:Dithiothreitol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010875:Pipecolic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D010875:Pipecolic Acids; C053672:selfotel; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D004229:Dithiothreitol