title: Evidence of a role for cyclic ADP-ribose in calcium signalling and neurotransmitter release in cultured astrocytes.
abstract: Astrocytes possess different, efficient ways to generate complex changes in intracellular calcium concentrations, which allow them to communicate with each other and to interact with adjacent neuronal cells. Here we show that cultured hippocampal astrocytes coexpress the ectoenzyme CD38, directly involved in the metabolism of the calcium mobilizer cyclic ADP-ribose, and the NAD+ transporter connexin 43. We also demonstrate that hippocampal astrocytes can release NAD+ and respond to extracellular NAD+ or cyclic ADP-ribose with intracellular calcium increases, suggesting the existence of an autocrine cyclic ADP-ribose-mediated signalling. Cyclic ADP-ribose-induced calcium changes are in turn responsible for an increased glutamate and GABA release, this effect being completely inhibited by the cyclic ADP-ribose specific antagonist 8-NH2-cADPR. Furthermore, addition of NAD+ to astrocyte-neuron co-cultures results in a delayed intracellular calcium transient in neuronal cells, which is strongly but not completely inhibited by glutamate receptor blockers. These data indicate that an astrocyte-to-neuron calcium signalling can be triggered by the CD38/cADPR system, which, through the activation of intracellular calcium responses in astrocytes, is in turn responsible for the increased release of neuromodulators from glial cells.
authors.affiliation: CNR Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and B. Ceccarelli Centers, Department of Medical Pharmacology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verderio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bruzzone
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zocchi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fedele
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schenk
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Flora
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matteoli
mesh_terms: D036541:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1; D000246:Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D036563:Cyclic ADP-Ribose; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009243:NAD / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D009244:NAD+ Nucleosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D018031:Connexin 43; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D009243:NAD; D036563:Cyclic ADP-Ribose; D000246:Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D036541:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase; C498156:Cd38 protein, rat; D009244:NAD+ Nucleosidase; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid