title: Differential expression of two glutamate transporters, GLAST and GLT-1, in an experimental rat model of glaucoma.
abstract: Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter of the mammalian retina, and excessive glutamate has been implicated in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. It is well known that glutamate transport, mainly via GLAST and GLT-1, is cardinal mechanism for maintaining glutamate homeostasis in normal and pathological conditions, including ischemia in the brain. In an effort to understand the role of glutamate and the glutamate regulation system of the retina in the pathogenesis of glaucoma, we examined changes in the expression of two glutamate transporters, GLAST and GLT-1, by Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry in a rat glaucoma model. GLT-1 was expressed in cone photoreceptors and some cone bipolar cells and the levels of expression were significantly increased in the cauterized eyes throughout the entire experimental period. In contrast, GLAST expression, which occurred in Müller cells, the main retinal glial cells, remained stable during the experimental period. These results suggest that GLT-1 may be a prerequisite for the maintenance of glutamate homeostasis in the retina undergoing glaucoma.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 505 Banpo-dong, Socho-gu, Seoul, 137-701, Korea.
authors: Chan Kee
authors: CK
authors: Park
authors: Jiook
authors: J
authors: Cha
authors: Soo Chul
authors: SC
authors: Park
authors: Phil Young
authors: PY
authors: Lee
authors: Jie Hyun
authors: JH
authors: Kim
authors: Hwa Sun
authors: HS
authors: Kim
authors: Shin Ae
authors: SA
authors: Kim
authors: In-Beom
authors: IB
authors: Kim
authors: Myung-Hoon
authors: MH
authors: Chun
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002452:Cell Count; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D027341:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D027342:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism; D009798:Ocular Hypertension; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism*; D051245:Retinal Bipolar Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D017949:Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D027341:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 1; D027342:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2; C493392:Slc1a3 protein, rat