GLT-1 upregulation impairs prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex in adult rats.
We tested the hypothesis that glutamate transporter GLT-1 (also known as EAAT2) plays a role in the regulation of prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle reflex, a simple form of information processing which is reduced in schizophrenia. To do this, we studied PPI in rats treated with ceftriaxone (200 mg/kg/day for 8 days), an antibiotic that selectively enhances GLT-1 expression and activity. We showed that ceftriaxone-induced GLT-1 upregulation is associated with impaired PPI of the startle, that this effect is reversed by dihydrokainate, a GLT-1 antagonist, that GLT-1 expression correlates negatively with PPI, and that PPI normalizes when GLT-1a levels return to baseline. Our data indicate that GLT-1 regulates PPI of the startle reflex.
Bellesi
Michele
M
Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy.
Melone
Marcello
M
Gubbini
Alessandro
A
Battistacci
Silvia
S
Conti
Fiorenzo
F
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D027342:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
D027342:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2; C020889:dihydrokainic acid; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D007608:Kainic Acid