title: Blockade by ferrous iron of Ca2+ influx through N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor channels in immature cultured rat cortical neurons.
abstract: Rat cortical neurons cultured for 3 days in vitro were loaded with the fluorescent indicator fluo-3 for assessment of intracellular free calcium ion (Ca2+) concentrations with the aid of a confocal laser-scanning microscope. In the absence of added MgCl2, the addition of NMDA induced a rapid but sustained increase in the number of fluorescent neurons in a concentration-dependent manner at a concentration range of 1-100 micro m with the increase by KCl being transient. The addition of FeCl2, but not FeCl3, markedly inhibited the increase by NMDA in a reversible manner at concentrations of 10-200 micro m, without affecting that by KCl. Extensive analyses revealed clear differentiation between inhibitions by ferrous iron and other channel blockers known to date. The inhibition by FeCl2 was completely prevented by the addition of two different iron chelators. Exposure to NMDA alone did not lead to cell death in immature cultured neurons, however, while further addition of FeCl2 invariably induced neuronal cell death 24 h after exposure. These results give support to our previous proposal that NMDA receptor complex may contain a novel site sensitive to blockade by ferrous iron in rat brain.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D016923:Cell Death; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology; D002712:Chlorides / Q000494:pharmacology; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D017136:Ion Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015636:Magnesium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D051381:Rats; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism*; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D017967:Zinc Compounds; D015636:Magnesium Chloride; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; C016837:zinc chloride; C029451:ferrous chloride; D002118:Calcium; C024555:ferric chloride