title: 17beta-estradiol rescues spinal motoneurons from AMPA-induced toxicity: a role for glial cells.
abstract: The ability of astrocytes to mediate 17beta-estradiol neuroprotection of spinal motoneurons challenged with AMPA has been evaluated in a co-culture system in which pure motoneurons were pulsed with 20 microM AMPA and then transferred onto an astrocyte layer pretreated for 24 h with 10 nM 17beta-estradiol. Under these conditions, AMPA toxicity was reverted, an effect that was likely related to increased production and release of GDNF, as shown by RT-PCR, Western blot analysis and ELISA assay. In addition, treatment with GDNF during the 24 h that followed the AMPA pulse produced a similar neuroprotective effect, whereas addition of a neutralizing anti-GDNF antibody prevented neuroprotection. These data suggest a role for astrocytes in the neuroprotective effect of 17beta-estradiol against spinal motoneuron death and find strong support in the marked up-regulation of estrogen receptor alpha found in spinal astrocytes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Platania
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seminara
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aronica
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Troost
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vincenza Catania
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Angela Sortino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000870:Anterior Horn Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004958:Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012737:Sex Factors; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009498:Neurotoxins; D004958:Estradiol; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid