Glutamate uptake in mice bred for ethanol withdrawal severity.
BACKGROUND
Withdrawal seizure-prone and withdrawal seizure-resistant mice were selectively bred to exhibit differences in handling-induced convulsion severity during ethanol withdrawal. The glutamatergic system has been implicated in seizure activity as well as ethanol withdrawal symptoms.


OBJECTIVE
This study assessed L-[3H]glutamate uptake into hippocampal synaptosomes prepared from withdrawal seizure-prone and- resistant mice.


METHODS
Glutamate uptake was characterized following repeated handling-induced convulsions, during acute intoxication, and during peak withdrawal following chronic ethanol exposure.


RESULTS
Hippocampal synaptosomal L-[3H]glutamate uptake did not differ between convulsion- and ethanol-naive withdrawal seizure-prone and- resistant mice. Furthermore, exposure to convulsions or to a hypnotic dose of ethanol (4 g/kg) did not alter L-[3H]glutamate uptake. However, withdrawal from 72 h of ethanol exposure significantly increased L-[3H]glutamate uptake in both mouse lines as compared to their respective ethanol-naive controls.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that glutamate uptake is influenced by chronic ethanol exposure similarly in both withdrawal seizure-prone and- resistant mice. The observed increases in glutamate uptake during withdrawal may be associated with compensatory mechanisms triggered by chronic intoxication and are independent of the selected differences for withdrawal severity.
D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D012640:Seizures / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000378:metabolism