Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin causes excessive release of glutamate in the mouse hippocampus.
The mechanism of neurotoxicity of Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin to the mouse brain was investigated. Intravenous injection in mice with the toxin caused seizure and excited hippocampal neurons. Microdialysis revealed that epsilon toxin induced excessive glutamate release in the hippocampus. Both the seizure and glutamate release were attenuated by prior injection with riluzole, an inhibitor of pre-synaptic glutamate release, suggesting that this toxin enhances glutamate efflux, leading to seizure and hippocampal neuronal damage.
Miyamoto
O
O
Department of Biology, Kagawa Medical University, Japan.
Sumitani
K
K
Nakamura
T
T
Yamagami
S
S
Miyata
S
S
Itano
T
T
Negi
T
T
Okabe
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005971:Glutamates / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; C039811:Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin; D005971:Glutamates