title: Evidence of neuronal excitatory amino acid carrier 1 expression in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons and their central terminals.
abstract: The expression and distribution of the neuronal glutamate transporter, excitatory amino acid carrier-1 (EAAC1), are demonstrated in the dorsal root ganglion neurons and their central terminals. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction shows expression of EAAC1 mRNA in the dorsal root ganglion. Immunoblotting analysis further confirms existence of EAAC1 protein in this region. Immunocytochemistry reveals that approximately 46.6% of the dorsal root ganglion neurons are EAAC1-positive. Most EAAC1-positive neurons are small and around 250-750 microm2 in surface area, and some co-label with calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) or isolectin IB4. In the spinal cord, EAAC-1 immunoreactive small dot- or patch-like structures are mainly localized in the superficial dorsal horn, and some are positive for CGRP or labeled by isolectin IB4. Unilateral dorsal rhizotomy experiments further show that EAAC1 immunoreactivity is less intense in superficial dorsal horn on the side ipsilateral to the dorsal rhizotomy than on the contralateral side. The results indicate the presence of EAAC1 in the dorsal root ganglion neurons and their central terminals. Our findings suggest that EAAC1 might play an important role in transmission and modulation of nociceptive information via the regulation of pre-synaptically released glutamate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 355 Ross, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. ytau@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: W-J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Liaw
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yaster
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Rothstein
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Johns
authors.forename: Y-X
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Tao
mesh_terms: D027322:Amino Acid Transport System X-AG / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count; D050580:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 3; D007839:Functional Laterality; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology*; D050491:Glutamate Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D019051:Rhizotomy / Q000379:methods; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism; D027981:Symporters / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D027322:Amino Acid Transport System X-AG; D050580:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 3; D050491:Glutamate Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D037102:Lectins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C493398:Slc1a1 protein, rat; D027981:Symporters; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide