title: Methotrexate induces seizure and decreases glutamate uptake in brain slices: prevention by ionotropic glutamate receptors antagonists and adenosine.
abstract: Methotrexate (MTX)-induced neurotoxicity may occur after intrathecal or systemic administration at low, intermediate and high doses for the treatment of malignant or inflammatory diseases. The mechanisms of MTX neurotoxicity are not totally understood, and appear to be multifactorial. In this study we characterized a model of MTX-induced seizures in mice to evaluate the convulsive and toxic MTX properties. Additionally, the effect of MTX-induced seizures on the activity of glutamate transporters, as well as the anticonvulsant role of MK-801, DNQX and adenosine on glutamate uptake in brain slices was investigated . MTX induced tonic-clonic seizures in approximately 95% of animals and pre-treatment with MK-801, DNQX and adenosine prevented seizure in 80%, 62% and 50% of animals, respectively. Moreover, MTX leads 59% of mice to death, which was prevented in 100% and 94% when animals received MK-801 and DNQX, respectively. Glutamate uptake decreased by 20% to 30% in cortical slices after MTX-induced seizures. Interestingly, when seizures were prevented by MK-801, DNQX or adenosine, glutamate uptake activity remained at the same level as the control group. Thus, our results demonstrate the involvement of the glutamatergic system in MTX-induced seizures.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leke
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Avila
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Jorge
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wofchuk
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Portela
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000633:toxicity*; D051379:Mice; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D011810:Quinoxalines; D018698:Glutamic Acid; C056723:FG 9041; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D000241:Adenosine; D008727:Methotrexate