title: Acute ammonia treatment in vitro and in vivo inhibits the synthesis of a neuroprotectant kynurenic acid in rat cerebral cortical slices.
abstract: The synthesis of kynurenic acid (KYNA) from kynurenine was measured in the cerebral cortical slices. In vitro, ammonium acetate at the subtoxic to toxic concentration range from 1 mM to 10 mM dose-dependently inhibited KYNA synthesis (IC50=2.99 mM). Ammonia treatment in vivo decreased KYNA synthesis by 30%. These results suggest that impaired neuroprotection exerted by KYNA might be a potential contributor to the glutamate receptor-mediated aspect of acute ammonia neurotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical University School, Jaczewskiego 8, 20-090 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saran
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hilgier
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kocki
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Urbanska
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Turski
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Albrecht
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007736:Kynurenic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D007736:Kynurenic Acid; C018824:ammonium acetate