title: Activation of group III metabotropic glutamate receptor reduces intracellular calcium in beta-amyloid peptide [31-35]-treated cortical neurons.
abstract: It is unknown whether amyloid beta-protein 31-35 (Abeta[31-35]) has effects similar to Abeta[1-40] and Abeta[25-35] on the intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)]i) to induce a disruption of calcium homeostasis. In this study, we investigated the effects of Abeta[31-35] on [Ca(2+)]i in primary cultured cortical neurons using real time fluorescence imaging technique and the Ca(2+)-sensitive dye Furo-2/AM. It was found that Abeta[31-35] (25 microM) could induce a significant elevation in [Ca(2+)]i and a decrease in the average latency in the cortical neurons in a dose-dependent manner. To examine whether the activation of group III mGluRs could block the changes in [Ca(2+)]i and protect neurons from apoptosis induced by Abeta[31-35], we then investigated the effects of L: -serine-O-phosphate (L: -SOP) and (R,S)-4-phosphonophenylglycine ((R,S)-PPG), the selective agonists of group III metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), on [Ca(2+)]i and apoptosis in neurons treated by Abeta[31-35]. We demonstrated that L: -SOP or (R,S)-PPG (100 microM) treatment suppresses significantly the elevation of [Ca(2+)]i induced by Abeta[31-35] and also induces an almost complete recovery of both the fluorescence intensity and apoptotic cells (%) to the control level in the neurons. These results suggest that Abeta[31-35] may be the shortest sequence responsible for the neuronal toxicity of Abeta protein and that the neuroprotective role of the activation of group III mGluRs from the apoptosis induced by Abeta[31-35] might be partly due to its ability to inhibit the increased calcium influx, which results from Abeta[31-35].
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Shanxi Medical University, 030001, Taiyuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Shen Ting
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhong Ming
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Ce
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiao Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Ya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ke
mesh_terms: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018683:Excitatory Amino Acid Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D045604:Extracellular Fluid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects*; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D005998:Glycine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling / Q000379:methods; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000494:pharmacology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D051381:Rats; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C119327:4-phosphonophenylglycine; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D018683:Excitatory Amino Acid Agents; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010710:Phosphates; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; C074636:amyloid beta-protein (25-35); C102718:metabotropic glutamate receptor 3; D002118:Calcium; D005998:Glycine