A modulation of glutamate-induced phosphoinositide breakdown by intracellular pH changes.

The influence of intracellular pH (pHi) changes on the formation of inositol phosphate metabolites (IPs) produced by glutamatergic stimulation was studied in 8-day-old rat brain synaptoneurosomes. For this purpose pHi was measured using 2',7'-bis-(2-carboxyl)-5,6-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) fluorimetric assay in parallel with the basal and receptor-mediated formations of inositol monophosphate (IP1) and inositol bisphosphate (IP2). We found that glutamate (1 mM), which induces a transient acidification (delta pH = -0.05), produces an identical accumulation of IP1 and IP2. K+ (30 mM), which provokes an alkalinization of the internal medium (delta pH = +0.22), mainly leads to the formation of IP1 metabolites. Paired combinations of glutamate with 1, 5 and 10 mM NH4+ finally result in an alkalinization of the intrasynaptoneurosomal medium. These combinations produce a strong decrease of the IP2 level concomitant with an increase of the IP1 formation, compared to the levels of IP1 and IP2 evoked by glutamate alone. The total amount of IPs (IP1 + IP2) produced by these combinations is not different from that obtained with glutamate alone. Paired combinations of carbachol with NH4+ produce an identical alkalinization to that produced by NH4+ alone. These combinations produce an increased IP1 accumulation, while the IP2 formation is slightly decreased. When the internal medium is acidified by diminishing the external concentration of Na+, the ratio IP1/IP2 produced after metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) activation is shifted to lower values, while it is not affected for the muscarinic stimulation. These data suggest that the mGluR-associated pathway in synaptoneurosomes is sensitive to pHi shifts, while the muscarinic receptor-associated pathway is less altered when pHi is manipulated. It may be proposed that pH-sensitive inositol phosphate dephosphorylating systems, i.e. phosphatases, are associated with mGluRs in this preparation.

Dithiotreitol specifically inhibits metabotropic responses of glutamate and depolarizing agents in rat brain synaptoneurosomes.

Dithiotreitol (DTT), a sulfhydryl reducing agent inhibits in a dose-dependent manner the inositol phosphates (IPs) accumulation responses evoked by glutamate and potassium without affecting that of carbachol in rat forebrain synaptoneurosomes. Furthermore, DTT neither provokes a depolarization of the membrane, nor increases the internal calcium concentration. Depolarization and internal calcium rise are known to stimulate IPs production. Moreover, DTT does not modify the depolarizing effect and the calcium rise elicited by glutamate and potassium. In addition, the antioxidant compounds 2-aminoethylisothiouronium bromide (AET) and ascorbic acid have no effect on the basal and stimulated IPs accumulation. Thus, it is concluded that: (1) two distinct transduction pathways exist, one stimulated by glutamate and depolarizing agents and the other one by cholinergic agonists; (2) DTT produces its inhibition by reducing disulfide bridges likely at the level of proteins of the phosphoinositide transduction mechanism.

Intra- vs extracellular calcium regulation of neurotransmitter-stimulated phosphoinositide breakdown.

The dependence on Ca2+ of basal, glutamate- and carbachol-stimulated phosphoinositide (PI) turnover was studied on 8-day old rat brain synaptoneurosomes. For that purpose, intracellular and extracellular Ca2+ concentrations were buffered by bis-(alpha-aminophenoxy)-ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid, in its tetra(acetoxymethyl)-ester form (BAPTA-AM) and in its free acid form (BAPTA), respectively. The effects of both forms of the calcium chelator intracellular and extracellular Ca2+ buffering on intracellular and extracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i and [Ca2+]e) were determined with fluorimetric assay using fura2, either in its acetoxymethyl ester form (fura2-AM) or in its free acid form. Intracellular chelation of Ca2+ ions with BAPTA-AM induced a dose-dependent reduction of the [Ca2+]i. Basal inositol phosphate (IP) formation was slightly affected by this [Ca2+]i buffering, while glutamate and carbachol stimulations of PI hydrolysis were similarly diminished. Chelation of extracellular Ca2+ ions with BAPTA produced a reduction of both [Ca2+]e and [Ca2+]i. Basal IP accumulation was maximally inhibited by 50%. The carbachol-induced PI hydrolysis was completely inhibited in the presence of 200 microM BAPTA, while a substantial residual glutamate-elicited IP response remained (40% of the control response). It is concluded that [Ca2+]i of synaptoneurosomes is not critical for basal and neurotransmitter-stimulated IP formation, whilst [Ca2+]e is critical. Glutamate may, in part, stimulate PI breakdown in a Ca(2+)-insensitive way.

A new quisqualate receptor subtype (sAA(2)) responsible for the glutamate-induced inositol phosphate formation in rat brain synaptoneurosomes.

Inositol phosphate synthesis elicited by excitatory amino acids was measured in rat forebrain synaptoneurosomes in presence of Li(+). Quisqualate (QA) was the most potent excitatory amino acid inducing inositol phosphate formation. This QA action was not blocked by any of the usual antagonists [glutamate-amino-methyl-sulphonate (GAMS); glutamate-diethyl-ester (GDEE); ?-d-glutamyl-glycine (?-DGG)] known to inhibit the QA-induced depolarization. The same was found for the most potent and selective QA antagonist reported so far [6-nitro-7-cyanoquinoxaline-2,3-dion (FG 9065)]. In addition, dl-?-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) a potent depolarizing agonist at the quisqualate receptor subtype was about 300 times less potent than quisqualate in increasing inositol phosphate accumulation. Our results provide the first pharmacological evidence indicating that a new quisqualate receptor subtype, tentatively termed sAA(2) is responsible for inositol phosphate formation.

Kainate-induced status epilepticus leads to a delayed increase in various specific glutamate metabotropic receptor responses in the hippocampus.

Neuronal loss and gliosis were detected in the rat hippocampus soon after unilateral intra-amygdala injection of kainate (KA) (2.5 nmol) while solid mossy fiber sprouting could be seen only fourteen days after this injection. Using this experimental model, we examined the metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR)-induced inositol phosphate (IP) formation in hippocampal synaptoneurosomes and slices. In synaptoneurosomes prepared from ipsilateral hippocampi fourteen days following injection, there were no significant changes in mGluR- and carbachol(CARB)-stimulated IPs syntheses when sham-operated and KA-injected animals were compared. In the corresponding hippocampal slices, significant increases of the mGluR responses mediated by ibotenate (IBO) and aminocyclopentane-trans-1,3-dicarboxylate (t-ACPD) were noted after KA application. The net stimulation values respectively expressed in a pair-wise fashion for buffer-injected control and KA-treated animals were IBO: 1,947 +/- 457 and 10,553 +/- 1,242; t-ACPD: 1,557 +/- 662 and 9,449 +/- 2,251 dpm/mg protein respectively. Significantly augmented mGluR responses in hippocampal slices were also measured at 7, 42 and 92 days after KA injection. There were, however, no significant increases in CARB-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis in the hippocampal slices at all time-intervals after KA administration. These findings show that there are differences between the mGluR responses in hippocampal synaptoneurosome and slice preparations, suggesting the presence of two distinct populations of mGluR in each of these two models. The large specific increases in certain mGluR activities after KA-induced status epilepticus in hippocampal slices could represent one of the molecular mechanisms which underlie the profound morphological changes, in particular gliosis or mossy fiber sprouting, which follow the KA-induced status epilepticus.

Developmental changes in the chemosensitivity of rat brain synaptoneurosomes to excitatory amino acids, estimated by inositol phosphate formation.

The evolution of excitatory amino acids-(EAA) stimulated inositol phosphates (IPs) turnover during postnatal development was investigated in synaptoneurosomes prepared from rat forebrains. The two main EAA agonists which induce the IPs synthesis were quisqualate (QA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA). The QA and NMDA stimulations of IPs formation present a particular developmental pattern, characterized by an active phase during rat synaptogenesis. The QA-evoked IPs accumulation peaked in synaptoneurosomes prepared from 8-day-old rat forebrains while that evoked by NMDA peaked in synaptoneurosomes from 12-day-old rats. These two developmental patterns are specific of the EAA agonists since the other various neuroactive substances tested (carbachol (Carb), noradrenaline, and high concentrations of potassium) induced an IPs accumulation, which increases during development and reaches a maximum in synaptoneurosomes of adult animals. Aging leads to a decrease in the capability of EAAs and muscarinic agonists to stimulate IPs formation in synaptoneurosomes, whereas the stimulation of IPs turnover by noradrenaline remains constant. Taken together, these results suggest that EAAs play a key role during brain development by sequentially activating two receptor subtypes, a new QA receptor, and a NMDA receptor, linked to the phosphoinositide metabolism. They may also indicate that these EAA-induced IPs responses are related to neuronal plastic events, the amplitude of which decreases with aging.

Ontogenesis of quisqualate-associated phosphoinositide metabolism in various regions of the rat nervous system.

The effect of postnatal age on phosphoinositide metabolism per se and on quisqualate-stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism was characterized in synaptoneurosomes prepared from nine different regions of the rat nervous system, namely the brainstem, cerebellum, cerebral cortex, colliculi, hippocampus, hypothalamus, olfactory bulb, spinal cord and striatum. In the hippocampus, striatum, cerebellum, cerebral cortex, brainstem, colliculus and spinal cord, the basal levels of inositol phosphate (inositol-1-phosphate+inositol-4,5-bisphosphate) formation were maximal two days after birth and declined steeply to steady-state levels from the age of 10 postnatal days. Similarly, in the olfactory bulb, basal inositol phosphate synthesis did not significantly change when measured during the period from postnatal day 10 to 42. The extent of [3H]-inositol labelling of phosphoinositides as a function of age presented similar profiles when measured in hippocampal, striatal, cerebellar and cerebral cortical synaptoneurosomes, i.e. maximal at perinatal ages and minimal at adult ages. In the hypothalamus, [3H]-inositol labelling of phosphoinositides showed an increase from postnatal day 12 to higher levels from postnatal days 14 to 18 subsequently followed by a dramatic increase from postnatal day 21 to 42. A similar developmental trend was also obtained for basal inositol phosphate synthesis. On the whole, four types of developmental profiles for quisqualate-stimulated inositol phosphate formation (expressed as the percentage of the basal level and as the difference between stimulated and basal levels of radioactive inositol phosphates) were obtained depending on the nervous system region studied. In the early, prenatally developed nervous system regions, namely the brainstem and the spinal cord, no postnatal stimulation peaks of quisqualate-induced inositol phosphate formation were recorded. This was also the case for the colliculi when the stimulation of IP formation was expressed as the difference in basal and stimulated levels of inositol phosphates. Secondly, in the olfactory bulb a region known to possess a continuous capacity for developmental plasticity both structurally and functionally during the first three weeks of postnatal development, a simultaneous sustained high level of quisqualate stimulation of phosphoinositide metabolism (fluctuating around 200% of the basal level) during the early postnatal period was evident. Thirdly, in regions of the central nervous system like the cerebellum, cerebral cortex, hippocampus and the striatum known to undergo intense developmental activity during the first two postnatal weeks, peaks of quisqualate-stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism were initially detected around the first week after birth in each of these brain areas.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Characterization of subtypes of excitatory amino acid receptors involved in the stimulation of inositol phosphate synthesis in rat brain synaptoneurosomes.

The action of excitatory amino acids (EAA) on inositol phosphates (IPs) synthesis was examined in forebrain synaptoneurosomes of Long Evans rats (6-9 days old). Glutamate (GLU) (EC50: 23 microM) and quisqualate (QA) (EC50: 0.12 microM) enhanced IPs turnover. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and kainate (KA) were less potent. The EAA-elicited IPs response was not blocked by tetrodotoxin (2 microM) or by the absence of Ca2+. This suggests that the activation of EAA receptors stimulates directly the phosphodiesterase responsible for phosphoinositide breakdown. The three main agonists (QA, KA and NMDA) tested in pairs, induced additive responses on IPs accumulation. In synaptoneurosomes prepared from adult rat, the relative responses to QA and GLU were dramatically reduced, whereas those to KA and NMDA remained unchanged. We concluded that GLU stimulates IPs formation mainly via a QA-like receptor subtype (AA2). This stimulation is transient and could play a key role during synaptogenesis. GLU also enhanced IPs accumulation via other receptor subtypes (probably of the NMDA- or AA1-like class).

Pharmacological characterization of the quisqualate receptor coupled to phospholipase C (Qp) in striatal neurons.

A detailed pharmacological characterization of the quisqualate (QA) receptor coupled to phospholipase C (Qp) was performed in striatal neurons. The experiments were carried out in the presence of the ionotropic antagonists MK-801 (1 microM) and 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (30 microM), concentrations that block N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) or alpha-amino-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors in these cells. QA, ibotenate and trans-1-aminocyclopentyl-1,3-dicarboxylate (ACPD) evoked dose-dependent inositol phosphate formations with EC50 values of 0.3, 6.7 and 29 microM, respectively. QA and ibotenate had the same maximal effect (295.7 +/- 17.9% of basal, n = 6) whereas the efficacy of ACPD was somewhat lower (70.2 +/- 8.9% of the maximal quisqualate effect, n = 4). The QA-, ibotenate- and ACPD-induced maximal effects were not additive, and the inositol phosphate formations induced by high concentrations of L-aspartate (L-ASP), AMPA, kainate (KA) and domoate (DO) (100 microM or higher) were also not additive. The inositol phosphate responses induced by all these agonists were totally blocked by the phorbol ester phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PdBu), but not by atropine or prazosin suggesting that all these substances were able to stimulate the Qp excitatory amino acid receptor in striatal neurons. Of the excitatory amino acid receptor antagonists tested, only D,L-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionate (D,L-AP3) inhibited QA-induced InsP formation in a competitive manner (mean pKi = 4.45 +/- 0.43, n = 4). However, this drug was also a partial agonist of the Qp receptor since it stimulated the inositol phosphate formation. We found that D,L-AP3 also inhibited NMDA-induced calcium increase, in a competitive manner (mean pIC50 = 4.34 +/- 0.22, n = 8, and mean pKi = 3.7 +/- 0.11, n = 5). The Qp excitatory amino acid receptor in striatal neurons therefore closely resembles Qp receptors with high potency for agonists as described in striatal and retinal slices and synaptoneurosomes, and has several pharmacological differences compared to the Qp receptors which have low potency for agonists described in hippocampal and cortical slices, cerebellar granule cells, astrocytes and rat brain mRNA-injected oocytes.

K+ differentially affects the excitatory amino acids- and carbachol-elicited inositol phosphate formation in rat brain synaptoneurosomes.

K+, excitatory amino acids (EAAs) and carbachol (Carb) were tested separately or in pairs for their ability to stimulate inositol phosphate (IPs) formation in rat forebrain synaptoneurosomes. K+ ions per se, stimulate IPs synthesis (158% of the control value) as well as EAAs and Carb. The glutamate (Glu)- and quisqualate (QA)-elicited IPs formation is not additive with that evoked by K+. Inversely, K+ ions (up to 30 mM) potentiate the Carb-induced IPs accumulation. These results indicate that QA (or Glu) and Carb enhance IPs formation independently and that QA- and K+ -induced IPs responses are interdependent. This suggests that they share a 'common intermediate' step in the multistep mechanism which leads from receptor activation to the IPs synthesis. This 'common intermediate' step may be depolarization and/or Na+ influx.

The glutamate receptor of the Qp-type activates protein kinase C and is regulated by protein kinase C.

In striatal neurons in primary culture quisqualate potently stimulated the formation of inositol phosphates via a metabotropic receptor we recently termed Qp in order to distinguish it from the classical ionotropic quisqualate receptor termed Qi. Here we show that 10 microM of quisqualate activated in a rapid and transient manner protein kinase C as assessed by its translocation from the cytosolic to the membrane fraction. As 10 microM alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA), the Qi specific agonist, was without effect, this translocation was most probably mediated by the Qp receptor. Phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate blocked in a dose-dependent manner the Qp receptor-induced inositol phosphate formation (IC50 = 2 +/- 0.4 nM). The inactive ester 4 alpha-phorbol-12,13-didecanoate was without effect. Very low concentrations of staurosporine completely reversed the phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate-induced blockade (IC50 = 2.2 +/- 1.3 nM). It can therefore be concluded that the Qp receptor is able to activate protein kinase C and that the activity of this metabotropic receptor is regulated by protein kinase C.

Effect of thiol reagents on phosphoinositide hydrolysis in rat brain synaptoneurosomes.

Some divalent ions, such as Cd2+ and Zn2+, are able to stimulate phosphoinositide (PI) breakdown and to inhibit receptor-mediated PI metabolism. These ions are also known to react with the free -SH groups of proteins. This prompted us to investigate the effects of more potent sulphydryl reagents, Hg2+ and p-chloromercuric benzosulphonic acid (PCMBS), on the inositol phosphate (IP) accumulation triggered by the neuroactive substances: glutamate, carbachol and K+, using synaptoneurosomes from 8-day-old rat forebrains. Hg2+ and PCMBS, depending on their concentration, had two distinct effects on IP accumulation: at low doses, Hg2+ (from 1 to 10 microM) and PCMBS (0.1 mM) by themselves stimulated PI breakdown, inhibited glutamate-elicited IP accumulation and had additive effects with respect to carbachol-induced IP stimulation. At higher doses, Hg2+ (from 0.01 to 1 mM) inhibited both basal and neuroactive substance-stimulated IP accumulation. PCMBS (1 mM), provoked only an inhibition of the agonist-stimulated IP formation. Monitoring membrane potential and intracellular Ca2+ with the fluorescent dyes diSC2(5) and fura2, respectively, indicated that these mercurials could strongly depolarize the synaptoneurosomal membrane and produce a Ca2+ influx dependent on extracellular Ca2+. The stimulatory effects of low concentrations of mercurials on PI turnover could be linked to the depolarization they provoke and the subsequent Ca2+ rise, which in turn is known to stimulate some phospholipase C enzymes. The inhibitory effects observed at high concentrations might be due to a loss of activity of proteins involved in PI breakdown, as all receptor-mediated IP accumulations were inhibited.

A specific transduction mechanism for the glutamate action on phosphoinositide metabolism via the quisqualate metabotropic receptor in rat brain synaptoneurosomes: I. External Na+ requirement.

The characteristics of the transduction mechanism(s) activated by glutamate (Glu) via the quisqualate metabotropic receptor, as well as by depolarizing agents, to trigger formation of inositol phosphates (IPs) were investigated in 8-day-old rat forebrain synaptoneurosomes. The replacement of external Na+ by various compounds (Li+, Tris+, N-methyl-D-glucamine+, and sucrose) induces an increase in basal accumulation of IPs and depolarizes synaptoneurosome membranes. Under these conditions, Glu- and K(+)-induced accumulations of IPs are inhibited, whereas the carbachol (Carb)-elicited response of IPs parallels the basal one. Agents increasing Na+ influx, such as veratridine and monensin, depolarize synaptoneurosomes and stimulate formation of IPs. These stimulations are not additive with responses of IPs elicited by Glu or K+. These data suggest that (a) Glu activates phosphoinositide metabolism via a specific mechanism (distinct from that of cholinergic agonists), (b) depolarizing agents and Glu share at least one common intermediate step in their mechanisms of activation of the metabolism of IPs, and (c) the depolarization may correspond to this common step. In addition, Na+ seems to be required for Glu stimulation of metabolism of IPs. The depolarization associated with the action of Glu on formation of IPs results neither from an influx via tetrodotoxin-sensitive voltage-dependent Na+ channels nor from an entry via the classically characterized Na+/Ca2+ or Na+/H+ exchangers. In fact, tetrodotoxin (2 microM) has no effect on the Glu- or K(+)-elicited response of IPs. Amiloride (greater than 50 microM) and some of its derivatives similarly inhibit not only Glu- and K(+)- but also Carb-evoked formation of IPs.