title: Neural precursor-derived astrocytes of wobbler mice induce apoptotic death of motor neurons through reduced glutamate uptake.
abstract: In the present study, we investigated whether cultured astrocytes derived from adult neural precursor cells (NPCs) obtained from the subventricular zone (SVZ) of wobbler mice display metabolic traits of the wobbler astrocytes in situ and in primary culture. We also utilized NPC-derived astrocytes as a tool to investigate the involvement of astrocytes in the molecular mechanism of MND focusing on the possible alteration of glutamate reuptake since excitotoxicity glutamate-mediated may be a contributory pathway. NPC-derived wobbler astrocytes are characterized by high immunoreactivity for GFAP, significant decrease of glutamate uptake and reduced immunoreactivity for glutamate transporters GLT1 and GLAST. Spinal cord motor neurons obtained from healthy mouse embryos, when co-cultured with wobbler NPC-derived astrocytes, show reduced viability and morphologic alterations. These suffering motor neurons are caspase-7 positive, and treatment with anti-apoptotic drug V5 increases cell survival. Physical contact with wobbler astrocytes is not essential because purified motor neurons display reduced survival also when treated with the medium conditioned by wobbler NPC-derived astrocytes. Toxic levels of glutamate were revealed by HPLC assay in the extracellular medium of wobbler NPC-derived astrocytes, whereas the level of intracellular glutamate is reduced if compared with controls. Moreover, glutamate receptor antagonists are able to enhance motor neuron survival. Therefore, our results demonstrate that astrocytes derived from wobbler neural precursor cells display impaired glutamate homeostasis that may play a crucial role in motor neuron degeneration. Finally, the cultured astrocytes derived from NPCs of adult mice may offer a useful alternative in vitro model to study the molecular mechanisms involved in neurodegeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology; Laboratory of Receptor Pharmacology Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, via La Masa, 19-20156 Milan, Italy. vdiana.lab@gmail.com
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Diana
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ottolina
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Botti
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fumagalli
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calcagno
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Paola
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cagnotto
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Invernici
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Parati
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Curti
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mennini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D018698:Glutamic Acid