title: Adenosine A2A receptor blockade differentially influences excitotoxic mechanisms at pre- and postsynaptic sites in the rat striatum.
abstract: Adenosine A(2A) receptor antagonists are being regarded as potential neuroprotective drugs, although the mechanisms underlying their effects need to be better studied. The aim of this work was to investigate further the mechanism of the neuroprotective action of A(2A) receptor antagonists in models of pre- and postsynaptic excitotoxicity. In microdialysis studies, the intrastriatal perfusion of the A(2A) receptor antagonist ZM 241385 (5 and 50 nM) significantly reduced, in an inversely dose-dependent way, the raise in glutamate outflow induced by 5 mM quinolinic acid (QA). In rat corticostriatal slices, ZM 241385 (30-100 nM) significantly reduced 4-aminopyridine (4-AP)-induced paired-pulse inhibition (PPI; an index of neurotransmitter release), whereas it worsened the depression of field potential amplitude elicited by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA; 12.5 and 50 microM). The A(2A) antagonist SCH 58261 (30 nM) mimicked the effects of ZM 241385, whereas the A(2A) agonist CGS 21680 (100 nM) showed a protective influence toward 50 microM NMDA. In rat striatal neurons, 50 nM ZM 241385 did not affect the increase in [Ca(2+)](i) or the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) induced by 100 and 300 microM NMDA, respectively. The ability of ZM 241385 to prevent QA-induced glutamate outflow and 4-AP-induced effects confirms that A(2A) receptor antagonists have inhibitory effects on neurotransmitter release, whereas the results obtained toward NMDA-induced effects suggest that A(2A) receptor blockade does not reduce, or even amplifies, excitotoxic mechanisms due to direct NMDA receptor stimulation. This indicates that the neuroprotective potential of A(2A) antagonists may be evident mainly in models of neurodegeneration in which presynaptic mechanisms play a major role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. tebano@iss.it
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Tebano
authors.forename: Annita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pintor
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Maria Rosaria
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Domenici
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martire
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pepponi
authors.forename: Rosa Luisa
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Potenza
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grieco
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Popoli
mesh_terms: D015761:4-Aminopyridine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000241:Adenosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D058917:Adenosine A2 Receptor Antagonists; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000494:pharmacology; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D010627:Phenethylamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D017378:Quinolinic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D043705:Receptor, Adenosine A2A / Q000378:metabolism*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D013570:Synaptic Membranes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014227:Triazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D014230:Triazoles / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C098657:5-amino-7-(2-phenylethyl)-2-(2-furyl)pyrazolo(4,3-e)-1,2,4-triazolo(1,5-c)pyrimidine; D058917:Adenosine A2 Receptor Antagonists; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009498:Neurotoxins; D010627:Phenethylamines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D043705:Receptor, Adenosine A2A; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D014227:Triazines; D014230:Triazoles; C097270:ZM 241385; C061282:2-(4-(2-carboxyethyl)phenethylamino)-5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D015761:4-Aminopyridine; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D017378:Quinolinic Acid; D000241:Adenosine; D002118:Calcium