title: Dexmedetomidine-induced stimulation of glutamine oxidation in astrocytes: a possible mechanism for its neuroprotective activity.
abstract: Dexmedetomidine is a highly specific alpha2-adrenergic agonist, which is used clinically as an anesthetic adjuvant and in animal experiments has a neuroprotective effect during ischemia. The current study showed that dexmedetomidine enhances glutamine disposal by oxidative metabolism in astrocytes. This effect occurs at pharmacologically relevant concentrations. It is exerted on alpha2-adrenergic receptors and not on imidazoline-preferring sites, and it is large enough to reduce the availability of glutamine as a precursor of neurotoxic glutamate.
authors.affiliation: NeoTherapeutics, Irvine, California, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hertz
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology; D020927:Dexmedetomidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005973:Glutamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D002534:Hypoxia, Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009498:Neurotoxins; D005973:Glutamine; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D020927:Dexmedetomidine