title: N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) protects against rat striatal quinolinic acid lesions in vivo.
abstract: We examined the effects of N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG), an endogenous peptide thought to be involved in neurotransmission and neuromodulation, on striatal quinolinate lesions, a rodent model of Huntington's disease. We found that NAAG (500 and 1000 nmol) co-injected with quinolinic acid significantly reduced lesion volumes (by 50% and 65%, respectively). A 1000 nmol dose of the non-hydrolyzable analogue, beta-NAAG, also reduced quinolinic acid lesion volumes by 78.4%, indicating that the protection observed was not secondary to cleavage of NAAG into N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) and glutamate. Likewise, co-injection of both NAA and glutamate (1000 nmol each) with quinolinic acid did not significantly alter the size of lesions. NAAG's protective effect may be mediated through actions on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors or metabotropic glutamate receptors.
authors.affiliation: Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Orlando
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Luthi-Carter
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Standaert
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Coyle
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Penney
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000293:injuries; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D017378:Quinolinic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D004151:Dipeptides; D009479:Neuropeptides; C027172:isospaglumic acid; D017378:Quinolinic Acid