title: Calcium homeostasis in cultured embryonic rat septohippocampal neurons is altered by ethanol and nerve growth factor before and during depolarization.
abstract: Ethanol and nerve growth factor (NGF) affect the survival of septohippocampal (SH) neurons. The effect of ethanol and NGF on calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis in these neurons was investigated in this study. Changes in intracellular-free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) were measured using indo-1 in cultured embryonic (E21) SH neurons before stimulation (basal) and during stimulation with 30 mM potassium cloride (KCl+). SH neurons were treated with 0, 100, 200, 400, or 800 mg% ethanol with NGF (+NGF) or without NGF (-NGF). NGF treatment decreased, while ethanol did not affect basal [Ca2+]i. The combination of ethanol and NGF treatment led to increases in basal [Ca2+]i. While [Ca2+]i was lower during stimulation with KCl+ following ethanol or NGF treatment, ethanol and NGF treatment together led to significantly greater increases or decreases in [Ca2+]i compared to similarly treated NGF neurons. Responses of SH neurons were compared to those of medial septal (MS) neurons. Changes in [Ca2+]i during treatment with ethanol and/or NGF were reduced in SH neurons compared with MS neurons. We conclude that changes in Ca2+ homeostasis can occur in SH neurons in the presence of ethanol and/or NGF. The changes following ethanol treatment are enhanced by NGF. By altering Ca2+ homeostasis, NGF may enhance the survival of SH neurons during ethanol-induced neurotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610 USA.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Suarez
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Heaton
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects*; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D000431:Ethanol; D002118:Calcium