title: Neonatal irradiation prevents the formation of hippocampal mossy fibers and the epileptic action of kainate on rat CA3 pyramidal neurons.
abstract: 1. The effects of unilateral gamma-ray irradiation at birth on the properties of adult CA3 pyramidal neurons have been studied in hippocampal slices. 2. Neonatal gamma-ray irradiation reduced by 80% the number of granule cells and prevented the formation of mossy fiber synapses without reducing the number of CA3 pyramidal cells. The destruction of the mossy fibers was also confirmed with extracellular recordings. 3. Excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs and IPSPs) evoked by stimulation of the stratum radiatum had similar properties in nonirradiated and irradiated hippocampi: the EPSP reversed polarity near 0 mV, was reduced in amplitude by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX, 10 microM) and D(-)-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV, 50 microM); the fast and slow IPSPs reversed at -75 and -100 mV, were blocked by bicuculline (10 microM), and reduced by phaclofen (0.5 mM), respectively. 4. Bath application of kainate (300-500 nM) evoked epileptiform activity in 81.5% of nonirradiated hippocampal CA3 regions and only in 29% of the irradiated CA3 regions. In contrast, bath application of high potassium (7 mM) and bicuculline (10 microM) generated spontaneous and evoked epileptiform activity in both nonirradiated and irradiated CA3 regions. 5. In nonirradiated and irradiated CA3 regions, kainate (200-300 nM) reduced the amplitude of the fast and slow IPSPs, reduced spike accommodation, and increased the duration of the action potential generated by a depolarizing pulse. 6. The postsynaptic responses of CA3 neurons to bath application of glutamatergic agonists were similar in nonirradiated and irradiated hippocampi in terms of amplitude, reversal potential, and pharmacology. 7. It is concluded that the most conspicuous effect of neonatal gamma-ray irradiation is to prevent the epileptic action of kainate. We propose that kainate generates epileptiform activity in the intact CA3 region by activating high-affinity binding sites located on the mossy fiber terminals.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U29 75014 Paris, France.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gaiarsa
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zagrean
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ben-Ari
mesh_terms: D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000494:pharmacology; D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D001640:Bicuculline / Q000494:pharmacology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004594:Electrophysiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011810:Quinoxalines; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate; D011188:Potassium; D007608:Kainic Acid; D001640:Bicuculline