title: Decreased cortical levels of astrocytic glutamate transport protein GLT-1 in a rat model of posttraumatic epilepsy.
abstract: The extracellular homeostasis of glutamate in the brain is maintained by the efficient uptake into astroglial cells. The high extracellular glutamate levels seen during seizures are therefore probably a result of both an increased synaptic release and a deranged glutamate uptake. In this study we used immuno-blotting technique to measure the cortical levels of the astrocytic glutamate transport protein (GLT-1) and of the glutamate and aspartate transporting protein (GLAST) in an epilepsy model induced by ferrous chloride injection in the cortex of rats. The levels of GLT-1 were lower in epileptic rats than in controls, day 1 and 5 after induction, but not at 3 months. Glial fibrillary protein (GFAP) levels increased with time in the epileptic model, whereas GLAST and beta-tubulin III remained unchanged compared to controls. The results suggest that the transient decrease of GLT-1 could play a role in epileptogenesis, while recurrent seizure activity may be maintained by other mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Sweden.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Samuelsson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kumlien
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Flink
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lindholm
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ronne-Engström
mesh_terms: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000378:metabolism*; D027322:Amino Acid Transport System X-AG; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D004834:Epilepsy, Post-Traumatic / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D027322:Amino Acid Transport System X-AG; D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D014404:Tubulin; D018698:Glutamic Acid; C029451:ferrous chloride