Trophic action of acetyl-L-carnitine in neuronal cultures.
Daily addition of acetyl-L-carnitine (100 microM) to cultured cerebellar granule cells since the first day of maturation led to an increased rate of expression of D-[3H]aspartate uptake (an established marker of maturation of glutamatergic neurons) and of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors linked to large conductance ion channels permeable to Ca2+. Acetyl-L-carnitine treatment also increased neuronal survival, as reflected by a greater percentage of cultures retaining functional NMDA receptors after 15 days of maturation. These results support the view that acetyl-L-carnitine exerts neuronotrophic activity and prevents age-dependent neuronal degeneration.
Rampello
L
L
Institute of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy.
Giammona
G
G
Aleppo
G
G
Favit
A
A
Fiore
L
L
D000108:Acetylcarnitine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000187:drug effects; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats
D000108:Acetylcarnitine