title: Differential modulation of NMDA-induced calcium transients by arachidonic acid and nitric oxide in cultured hippocampal neurons.
abstract: We have examined the effect of arachidonic acid on the transient increases in intracellular Ca2+ evoked by NMDA and AMPA in cultured hippocampal pyramidal cells loaded with Fura-2 AM. Repeated brief pulses of NMDA elicited Ca2+ transients that showed a modest run down. This run down was enhanced if the preparation was shielded from UV light and was reduced by conducting the experiments in the presence of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor l-nitroarginine (100 micro m). Arachidonic acid (2 micro m) enhanced the Ca2+ transients evoked by NMDA but not those evoked by AMPA. Other C20 unsaturated fatty acids did not alter the time course of the response to NMDA. These experiments suggest that elevated intracellular Ca2+ activates nitric oxide synthase and the resulting synthesis of nitric oxide depresses the Ca2+ response to NMDA while arachidonic acid augments these responses. Therefore two substances implicated in synaptic plasticity (arachidonic acid and nitric oxide) differentially modulate NMDA-mediated Ca2+ entry into hippocampal neurons.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurophysiology, National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK. c.richards@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: T V P
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Bliss
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Richards
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004537:Eicosanoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology; D016257:Fura-2 / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology*; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D004537:Eicosanoic Acids; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D002104:Cadmium; C049925:fura-2-am; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D002118:Calcium; D016257:Fura-2