G. Magri

Excitatory Amino Acids Stimulate Inositol Phospholipid Hydrolysis and Reduce Proliferation in Cultured Astrocytes

Abstract: Excitatory amino acids stimulated inositol phospholipid hydrolysis in primary cultures of astrocytes, as reflected by an increased formation of [3H]inositol monophosphate ([3H]InsP) in the presence of 10 mM Li+. Quisqualate was the most potent activator of inositol phospholipid hydrolysis, followed by glutamate and ibotenate. Kainate exhibited low activity, whereas N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) and α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methylisoxazolepropionate (AMPA) were inactive. The increase in [3H]InsP formation induced by glutamate was potentiated after 12‐h exposure to the proliferative agent epidermal growth factor (EGF), suggesting that activation of the mitotic cycle leads to an enhanced coupling of glutamate recognition sites with phospholipase C. To study how glutamate receptors are involved in regulating cell proliferation, we have measured [methyl‐3H]thymidine incorporation in cultured astrocytes. Excitatory amino acids reduced thymidine incorporation with a pharmacological profile similar to that observed for the stimulation of inositol phospholipid hydrolysis. Quisqualate acted as a potent antiproliferative agent, both under basal conditions and in cells stimulated to proliferate by addition of EGF or phorbol 12‐tetradecanoate 13‐acetate. Glutamate and ibotenate reduced [methyl‐3H]‐thymidine incorporation at high concentrations, whereas kainate, AMPA, and NMDA were virtually inactive. The action of quisqualate on both inositol phospholipid hydrolysis and thymidine incorporation was attenuated by 2‐amino‐4‐phosphonobutyrate, which acted as a weak agonist/competitive antagonist. Other excitatory amino acid receptor antagonists were not effective. Inhibition of [methyl‐3H]thymidine incorporation by quisqualate required a lag time of about 4 h and, in cells synchronized to proliferate, occurred when the drug was added during the transition between G0 and G1, but not during the S phase of the mitotic cycle. This suggests that an inducible factor may be involved in the antiproliferative effect of excitatory amino acids. Accordingly, activation of quisqualate receptors led to a rapid and transient increase in mRNA levels of the early inducible gene, c‐fos. These results suggest that activation of a specific class of “quisqualate‐preferring”excitatory amino acid receptors reduces proliferation of astrocytes in primary cultures.

Changes of mitochondrial membrane proteins in rat cerebellum during aging

Qualitative and quantitative changes of mitochondrial membrane proteind during aging were investigated. Free (non-synaptic) mitochondria were purified from rat cerebellum at different ages (4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 months). Mitochondrial outer membrane (OM), inner membrane (IM) and matrix (MX) were separated and the proteins were extracted and analyzed by gel-electrophoresis.After staining, the gels were scanned densitometrically to quantify the proteins. No significant changes in the quantity of OM or MX protein subunits were observed, while serveral statistically significant quantitative changes in IM proteins with age were found. These age-dependent modifications of inner membrane mitochondrial proteins may play an important role in energy transduction, transport systems and regulatory enzymatic activities in mitochondria.

Age-dependent modifications of mitochondrial proteins in cerebral cortex and striatum of rat brain

The protein composition of free mitochondria purified from cerebral cortex and striatum during aging was analyzed by gel electrophoresis. Mitochondria were isolated from cerebral cortex and striatum of 4-, 12-, and 24-month-old rat brain. The percent amount of mitochondrial proteins after gel-electrophoretic separation was determined densitometrically. A significant decrease in the amount of two polypeptides (with molecular weights of 20 and 16 kDa, respectively) in both brain regions during aging was found. The decrease was higher in the striatum indicating a greater vulnerability of this brain area to the aging process. The age-dependent modifications of mitochondrial proteins observed may play an important role in several mitochondrial functions, such as energy transduction and transport processes as well as in structural changes occurring with age, causing altered membrane permeability and fluidity.

Modifications of synaptosomal plasma membrane protein composition in various brain regions during aging.

The age‐dependent modifications of synaptosomal plasma membrane protein composition in three different rat brain regions (cerebral cortex, cerebellum and striatum) at various ages (4,12 and 24 months) were studied. The proteins were separated by gel‐electrophoresis and the quantity of the different polypeptides was determined densitometrically from the stained gels.

Effect of CDP-choline treatment on mitochondrial and synaptosomal protein composition in different brain regions during aging

Several age‐dependent modifications of inner mitochondrial membrane and synaptosomal plasma membrane proteins from different brain regions of 4‐, 12‐, 18‐ and 24‐month‐old male Wistar rats, were observed. Some proteins, identified by immunoblotting assay as various subunits of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes and calmodulin, were particularly impaired. Chronic treatment with CDP‐choline at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight per day for 28 days caused significant changes in the amounts of several of the above mentioned proteins. Most of the proteins, which decreased during aging, showed a significant increase after CDP‐choline treatment compared with the corresponding control values at the same age. The effect of CDP‐choline might be due to: — the increased availability of cytidylic nucleotides, which in the brain are present in limited amounts compared to the other nucleotides; — the increased content of total adenine nucleotides; —the improvement of brain energy metabolism.

Effect of hypoxia on protein composition of synaptic plasma membranes from cerebral cortex during aging

The effect of hypoxia on the protein composition of synaptic plasma membranes (SPM) isolated from cerebral cortex of rats at 4, 12, and 24 months of age was investigated. The proteins were separated by SDS polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis and the percent content was evaluated by measuring the optical density of the stained gels. After hypoxic treatment various proteins showed significant changes. Some proteins were only affected at 4 and 12 months of age and not at 24 months. The various modified porteins may be identified according to their molecular weight, as follows: the 18 kDa protein with calmodulin; the 23 kDa protein with D3 subunits; the 28 kDa protein could contain the δ subunit of the Ca2+ channel. The changes in the amount of some SPM proteins during hypoxia is consistent with the alteration in membrane polarization and neurotransmission observed in this condition. The effect of aging at the synaptosomal level seems to be a selective process; after hypoxia the age-related changes of many proteins are more pronounced.

Effect of hypoxia on mitochondrial protein composition of cerebral cortex during aging

The effect of hypoxia on the protein composition of mitochondria from cerebral cortex of rats at 4, 12, and 24 months of age was investigated. The proteins were separated by electrophoresis on SDS polyacrilamide gels and the percent content was evaluated by measuring the optical density of the stained gels. The results demonstrate that hypoxic treatment causes a decrease in the amount of some proteins as follows: the 90 and the 16 kDa Mw proteins at 4 months; the 82 and the 79 kDa Mw proteins at 24 months; the 52-49, 35 and 20 kDa at all ages investigated; the 44 kDa protein at 4 and 12 months and the 28 kDa protein at 4 and 24 months of age. Our results show that hypoxic conditions affect mitochondrial protein composition to a greater extent than aging alone.