title: Characterization of the excitoprotective actions of N-methyl-D-aspartate in cultured cerebellar granule neurons.
abstract: Exposure of cultured cerebellar granule neurons to subtoxic concentrations of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) has been shown previously to result in a neuroprotective state, as measured by subsequent exposure to toxic concentrations of glutamate. In the present study, we have further characterized the excitoprotective actions of NMDA in these neurons. NMDA-induced excitoprotection was concentration dependent (EC50 approximately 30 microM) and time dependent, with maximal protection observed following 16 h of preexposure to NMDA. NMDA-induced excitoprotection did not require continuous exposure to NMDA, as a 4-h preincubation was sufficient to induce full excitoprotection when measured 8 h later. Maximal protection was manifest as a "right shift" in the concentration-response relationship for glutamate toxicity of approximately three orders of magnitude (EC50 approximately 30 microM in untreated neurons compared with > or = 50 mM in NMDA-treated neurons). After removal of NMDA, complete reversal of the excitoprotective state was observed by 48 h (t1/2 approximately 24 h). The ability of NMDA to induce excitoprotection was observed in neurons maintained for up to 14 days in vitro (DIV) [postnatal day (PND) 22], but was absent at 21 and 32 DIV (PND 29-40), despite little to no difference in the toxicity of glutamate at any DIV examined. Preexposure of cerebellar granule neurons to a maximally excitoprotective concentration of NMDA (50 microM) failed to alter the density of NMDA receptors measured by the specific binding of [3H]MK-801.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Section of Molecular Pharmacology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Damschroder-Williams
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Irwin
authors.forename: S Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Paul
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000187:drug effects*; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015536:Down-Regulation; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000633:toxicity; D007700:Kinetics; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D003513:Cycloheximide; D007608:Kainic Acid; D002118:Calcium