title: Protective effect of metabotropic glutamate receptor inhibition on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-cerebrospinal fluid toxicity in vitro.
abstract: Conflicting results have been reported concerning the toxicity of cerebrospinal fluid from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS-CSF) when added to neuronal cultures. The possible toxic factor(s) and the exact mode of action (e.g. requirement of glial cells) have not been identified so far. Glutamate is a potential candidate for this toxic effect, since antagonists of ionotropic glutamate receptors have been shown to attenuate ALS-CSF toxicity. We studied the effects of ALS-CSF on mixed and motoneuron-enriched chick embryonic spinal cord cultures. We found a toxic action of ALS-CSF in both culture types which could not be attenuated by 5 kDa-filtration or 15 min 90 degrees C heating. Nevertheless, the metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) group I antagonist 1-aminoindan-1,5-dicarboxylic acid, but also the group I agonist (s)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) exerted protective effects against ALS-CSF toxicity. In this experimental setting, DHPG may functionally act via a receptor blockade due to sustained activation. No protective effect was seen with the mGluR group III inhibitor (RS)-alpha-cyclopropyl-4-phosphonophenylglycine (CPPG). Addition of DHPG did not increase the protective action of the AMPA inhibitor 6-chloro-4-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxylic acid (6-CKU). Addition of l-glutamate did not mimic these toxic ALS-CSF effects in motoneuron-enriched cultures. Our experiments demonstrate that ALS-CSF toxicity is mediated by a small heat-resistant molecule which may act directly on neurons. Since blockade of group I mGluRs exerts a protective effect, the possibility of targeting these mGluRs pharmacologically in motoneuron disease should be kept in mind.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Munich, Klinikum Grosshadern, D-81366 München, Germany. Johanna.Anneser@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: J M H
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Anneser
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chahli
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Borasio
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002642:Chick Embryo; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D005998:Glycine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007189:Indans / Q000494:pharmacology; D007211:Indoles; D037102:Lectins; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: C095756:1-aminoindan-1,5-dicarboxylic acid; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D007189:Indans; D007211:Indoles; D037102:Lectins; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; C104331:cyclopropyl-4-phosphonophenylglycine; D018698:Glutamic Acid; C007293:DAPI; D005998:Glycine