title: N-methyl-D-aspartate increases acetylcholine release from rat striatum and cortex: its effect is augmented by choline.
abstract: We examined the effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), a glutamate agonist, and of glutamate itself, on acetylcholine (ACh) release from superfused rat striatal slices. In a Mg(++)-free medium, NMDA (32-1000 microM) as well as glutamate (1 mM) increased basal ACh release by 35 to 100% (all indicated differences, P less than .05), without altering tissue ACh or choline contents. This augmentation was blocked by Mg++ (1.2 mM) or by MK-801 (10 microM). Electrical stimulation (15 Hz, 75 mA) increased ACh release 9-fold (from 400 to 3660 pmol/mg of protein): this was enhanced (to 4850 pmol/mg of protein) by NMDA (100 microM). ACh levels in stimulated slices fell by 50 or 65% depending on the absence or presence of NMDA. The addition of choline (40 microM) increased ACh release both basally (570 pmol/mg of protein) and with electrical stimulation (6900 pmol/mg of protein). In stimulated slices choline acted synergistically with NMDA, raising ACh release to 10,520 pmol/mg of protein. The presence of choline also blocked the fall in tissue ACh. No treatment affected tissue phospholipid or protein levels. NMDA (32-320 microM) also augmented basal ACh release from cortical but not hippocampal slices. Choline efflux from striatal and cortical (but not hippocampal) slices decreased by 34 to 50% in Mg(++)-free medium. These data indicate that NMDA-like drugs may be useful, particularly in combination with choline, to enhance striatal and cortical cholinergic activity. ACh release from rat hippocampus apparently is not affected by NMDA receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge.
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Ulus
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Buyukuysal
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wurtman
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002794:Choline / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004357:Drug Synergism; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D008274:Magnesium; D002794:Choline; D000109:Acetylcholine