title: NSC-34 Motor Neuron-Like Cells Are Unsuitable as Experimental Model for Glutamate-Mediated Excitotoxicity.
abstract: Glutamate-induced excitotoxicity is a major contributor to motor neuron degeneration in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The spinal cord × Neuroblastoma hybrid cell line (NSC-34) is often used as a bona fide cellular model to investigate the physiopathological mechanisms of ALS. However, the physiological response of NSC-34 to glutamate remains insufficiently described. In this study, we evaluated the relevance of differentiated NSC-34 (NSC-34D) as an in vitro model for glutamate excitotoxicity studies. NSC-34D showed morphological and physiological properties of motor neuron-like cells and expressed glutamate receptor subunits GluA1-4, GluN1 and GluN2A/D. Despite these diverse characteristics, no specific effect of glutamate was observed on cultured NSC-34D survival and morphology, in contrast to what has been described in primary culture of motor neurons (MN). Moreover, a small non sustained increase in the concentration of intracellular calcium was observed in NSC-34D after exposure to glutamate compared to primary MN. Our findings, together with the inability to obtain cultures containing only differentiated cells, suggest that the motor neuron-like NSC-34 cell line is not a suitable in vitro model to study glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. We suggest that the use of primary cultures of MN is more suitable than NSC-34 cell line to explore the pathogenesis of glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity at the cellular level in ALS and other motor neuron diseases.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U930) "Imagerie et Cerveau", CHRU de Tours, Université François-Rabelais Tours, France.
authors.forename: Blandine
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Madji Hounoum
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U930) "Imagerie et Cerveau", CHRU de Tours, Université François-RabelaisTours, France; Laboratoire de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire, Hôpital Bretonneau, CHRU de ToursTours, France.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vourc'h
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1069) "Nutrition, Growth and Cancer", Université François-Rabelais de Tours Tours, France.
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Felix
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U930) "Imagerie et Cerveau", CHRU de Tours, Université François-RabelaisTours, France; Centre SLA, Service de Neurologie, CHRU de ToursTours, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Corcia
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U930) "Imagerie et Cerveau", CHRU de Tours, Université François-RabelaisTours, France; Laboratoire de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire, Hôpital Bretonneau, CHRU de ToursTours, France.
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Patin
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1069) "Nutrition, Growth and Cancer", Université François-Rabelais de Tours Tours, France.
authors.forename: Maxime
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guéguinou
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1069) "Nutrition, Growth and Cancer", Université François-Rabelais de Tours Tours, France.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Potier-Cartereau
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1069) "Nutrition, Growth and Cancer", Université François-Rabelais de Tours Tours, France.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vandier
authors.affiliation: The Neuroscience Institute Montpellier, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM UMR1051), Saint Eloi Hospital Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Cédric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Raoul
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U930) "Imagerie et Cerveau", CHRU de Tours, Université François-RabelaisTours, France; Laboratoire de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire, Hôpital Bretonneau, CHRU de ToursTours, France.
authors.forename: Christian R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Andres
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U930) "Imagerie et Cerveau", CHRU de Tours, Université François-Rabelais Tours, France.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mavel
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U930) "Imagerie et Cerveau", CHRU de Tours, Université François-RabelaisTours, France; Laboratoire de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire, Hôpital Bretonneau, CHRU de ToursTours, France.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Blasco
keywords: ALS; Ca2+ influx; NMDA; NSC34; differentiation; glutamate receptors