Laura C. Daniell

The noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists, MK-801, phencyclidine and ketamine, increase the potency of general anesthetics

The potency of general anesthetics from different chemical classes was tested after pretreatment with subanesthetic doses of noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists in mice. Changes in general anesthetic potency were assessed by determination of alteration of duration of loss of righting reflex for ethanol and pentobarbital and changes in the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) for the volatile anesthetics, halothane and diethyl ether. The ability of the noncompetitive NMDA antagonists, MK-801 [(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo(a,d)cyclo-hepten-5,10-imine ], phencyclidine (PCP) and ketamine, to increase the potency of general anesthetics paralleled their potency as NMDA antagonists and their affinity for the PCP receptor site of the NMDA receptor-ionophore complex (MK-801 greater than PCP greater than ketamine). These results indicate that block of central NMDA receptors may contribute to the production of anesthesia by a variety of agents.

Effect of CGS 19755, a competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist, on general anesthetic potency

CGS 19755 is a competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist which penetrates the blood-brain barrier. The effect of pretreatment with subanesthetic doses of CGS 19755 on general anesthetic potency was determined in mice. Mice were pretreated with saline or CGS 19755 by intraperitoneal (IP) administration 30 min before IP administration of an anesthetic dose of ethanol or pentobarbital or measurement of the volatile anesthetic minimum alveolar concentration (MAC). CGS 19755 increased the duration of ethanol- and pentobarbital-induced loss of righting reflex in a dose-dependent manner. The highest dose of CGS 19755 tested, 50 mg/kg, increased duration of loss of righting reflex by about four- and twofold for ethanol and pentobarbital, respectively. CGS 19755 also decreased the MAC for halothane. However, CGS 19755 pretreatment had no effect on the MAC for diethyl ether. These results suggest that the potency of certain general anesthetic agents can be increased by antagonism of brain NMDA receptors.

Effect of Anesthetic and Convulsant Barbiturates on N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor-Mediated Calcium Flux in Brain Membrane Vesicles

The effects of anesthetic and convulsant barbiturates on brain N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor function were examined in a cell-free membrane vesicle preparation from mouse hippocampus. Increases in intracellular free calcium concentrations (Cai) were determined using a fluorescent dye, Indo-1, after stimulation with the NMDA receptor agonist, L-glutamate. Anesthetic barbiturates inhibited NMDA responses in a concentration-dependent manner with a rank order of potency of secobarbital > amobarbital > pentobarbital > mephobarbital = phenobarbital >> barbital. However, the IC50 values for these barbiturates were larger than probable blood anesthetic concentrations. Barbiturates with both anesthetic and convulsant effects in mice [optical isomers of pentobarbital and secobarbital, 5-(2-cyclohexylideneethyl)-5-ethylbarbituric acid and (+/-)-dimethylbutylbarbituric acid] also reduced NMDA responses. Inhibition of NMDA responses by racemic pentobarbital or isomers of pentobarbital was noncompetitive. Resting Cai was altered by all barbiturates tested except secobarbital and barbital, but not in a consistent manner, suggesting that the effect of barbiturates on resting Cai is not related either to their effects on NMDA receptor responses or to their behavioral effects. These results show that anesthetic and convulsant barbiturates inhibit NMDA responses, but their anesthetic and convulsant activities may be primarily due to their effects on other brain targets.

Effect of Volatile General Anesthetics and n-Alcohols on Glutamate- Stimulated Increases in Calcium Ion Flux in Hippocampal Membrane Vesicles

N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activity was determined by measurement of L-glutamate-stimulated increases in free intracellular calcium concentrations (Cai) in membrane vesicles isolated from mouse hippocampi. Incubation with anesthetic concentrations of the volatile general anesthetics, halothane, enflurane, and diethyl ether, inhibited NMDA responses. The n-alcohols, ethanol, propanol, butanol and pentanol inhibited NMDA receptor responses, but methanol was ineffective. The ability of volatile anesthetics and n-alcohols to inhibit NMDA responses appears to be unrelated to the ability of some of these agents to increase resting Cai since no correlation occurred between the two effects. The results of this study show that hippocampal NMDA receptors are sensitive to inhibition by volatile general anesthetics and n-alcohols. This effect may, in part, underlie their anesthetic effects in vivo.

N-methyl-d-aspartate increases cytoplasmic free calcium in mouse hippocampus

The effect of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and L-glutamate on the concentration of intracellular free calcium (Cai) and on uptake of the calcium was determined in microsacs and synaptosomes isolated from mouse brain. L-Glutamate and NMDA increased Cai in hippocampal microsacs but had little or no effect on Cai in microsacs, isolated from cortex or cerebellum or in synaptosomes. N-Methyl-D-aspartate also increased uptake of calcium, measured using 45Ca into hippocampal microsacs. The EC50 values for NMDA-stimulated increases in Cai and uptake of calcium in microsacs were about 30 microM. Maximum responses were observed with 100 microM NMDA. Increases in Cai stimulated by NMDA were dependent on extracellular calcium, indicating that NMDA increased Cai in microsacs by increasing conductance through an NMDA receptor-operated cation channel, rather than by releasing calcium from intracellular stores. The NMDA antagonists, 5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine (MK-801), 2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP-5), magnesium and zinc blocked responses to NMDA. This demonstrates NMDA-mediated effects on ion flux in a cell-free preparation from brain. This preparation may be useful for study of the in vitro effects of drugs or toxins on NMDA receptors in brain.

Determination of the intravesicular ionized sodium concentration in a cell-free brain membrane vesicle preparation using the fluorescent indicator, SBFI

The intravesicular ionized Na concentration (Nai) was measured using the fluorescent Na indicator, SBFI, in microsacs, a cell-free brain vesicle preparation. SBFI fluorescence was monitored by a dual excitation-wavelength method at the same wavelengths commonly employed for Fura-2 determination of intracellular ionized calcium concentrations (Cai). Calibration of SBFI fluorescence was reliably performed in brain microsacs in situ. Resting Nai was dependent on the extravesicular Na concentration (Nao) and was about 36 mM in the presence of 120 mM extracellular Nao. In the presence of ouabain, an inhibitor of the plasma membrane Na/K-ATPase, Nai increased by 27 mM over 60 s. Nai was also increased by resuspension of microsacs in buffers of low free Ca concentrations (0 to 0.8 mM), indicating that the extravesicular Ca concentration (Cao) is an important regulator of Nai. Alkaloids active at voltage-sensitive Na channels, veratridine and aconitine, also increased Nai. These results demonstrate the presence of homeostatic mechanisms for neuronal Nai regulation and show that Nai can be measured in a cell-free brain vesicle preparation using SBFI.