Multiple classes of the oligodendrocyte lineage are highly vulnerable to excitotoxicity.
We have recently shown that galactocerebroside (Gal-C)-expressing oligodendrocytes are highly vulnerable to (AMPA)/kainate receptor-mediated death. Here we examined the vulnerability of cells at different developmental stages of the oligodendrocyte lineage to AMPA/kainate receptor-mediated excitotoxicity. Oligodendrocyte precursor cells, pre-oligodendrocytes and mature oligodendrocytes were killed by 24 h exposures to low concentrations of kainate (30-100 microM). Death was attenuated by the AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist 6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzo(f)quinoxaline-2,3-dione (NBQX). The high vulnerability of oligodendrocytes and their precursors to AMPA/kainate receptor excitotoxicity may represent an important mechanism of white matter damage resulting from trauma or ischemia in the perinatal and adult central nervous system (CNS).
McDonald
J W
JW
Center for the Study of Nervous System Injury and Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA.
Levine
J M
JM
Qu
Y
Y
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000502:physiology; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000633:toxicity; D018846:Excitatory Amino Acids / Q000633:toxicity*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000166:cytology; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000633:toxicity; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000187:drug effects; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors / Q000187:drug effects
D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018846:Excitatory Amino Acids; D011810:Quinoxalines; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors; C062865:2,3-dioxo-6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzo(f)quinoxaline