Aluminum chloride stimulates the release of endogenous glutamate, taurine and adenosine from cultured rat cortical astrocytes.
Primary astrocyte cultures derived from neonatal rat cerebral cortex were treated for 5 min with 0.5 mM or 5.0 mM AlCl3, and the incubation medium was analyzed by HPLC for the content of released glutamate (Glu), taurine (Tau), serine (Ser) and the nucleoside adenosine (Ade). At 0.5 mM, AlCl3 stimulated Tau release to about 170% of basal levels, but did not affect the release of the other compounds. Treatment with 5.0 mM AlCl3 enhanced the release of Tau, Glu and Ade, to 800%, 1000% and 250%, respectively, but decreased the release of Ser to 70% compared to basal levels. The enhanced release of these neuroactive compounds from astrocytes may contribute to changes in neural transmission known to accompany exposure to aluminum.
Veteran Administration Medical Center, Department of Pathology, Miami, FL.
J
J
Albrecht
M
M
Simmons
G R
GR
Dutton
M D
MD
Norenberg
D000241:Adenosine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000535:Aluminum / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077410:Aluminum Chloride; D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002712:Chlorides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005971:Glutamates / Q000378:metabolism*; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D051381:Rats; D013654:Taurine / Q000378:metabolism*
D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D002712:Chlorides; D005971:Glutamates; D013654:Taurine; D000077410:Aluminum Chloride; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D000535:Aluminum; D000241:Adenosine