GAD65 is essential for synthesis of GABA destined for tonic inhibition regulating epileptiform activity.

GABA is synthesized from glutamate by glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), which exists in two isoforms, that is, GAD65 and GAD67. In line with GAD65 being located in the GABAergic synapse, several studies have demonstrated that this isoform is important during sustained synaptic transmission. In contrast, the functional significance of GAD65 in the maintenance of GABA destined for extrasynaptic tonic inhibition is less well studied. Using GAD65-/- and wild type GAD65+/+ mice, this was examined employing the cortical wedge preparation, a model suitable for investigating extrasynaptic GABA(A) receptor activity. An impaired tonic inhibition in GAD65-/- mice was revealed demonstrating a significant role of GAD65 in the synthesis of GABA acting extrasynaptically. The correlation between an altered tonic inhibition and metabolic events as well as the functional and metabolic role of GABA synthesized by GAD65 was further investigated in vivo. Tonic inhibition and the demand for biosynthesis of GABA were augmented by injection of kainate into GAD65-/- and GAD65+/+ mice. Moreover, [1-(13) C]glucose and [1,2-(13) C]acetate were administered to study neuronal and astrocytic metabolism concomitantly. Subsequently, cortical and hippocampal extracts were analyzed by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, respectively. Although seizure activity was induced by kainate, neuronal hypometabolism was observed in GAD65+/+ mice. In contrast, kainate evoked hypermetabolism in GAD65-/- mice exhibiting deficiencies in tonic inhibition. These findings underline the importance of GAD65 for synthesis of GABA destined for extrasynaptic tonic inhibition, regulating epileptiform activity.

How do glial-neuronal interactions fit into current neurotransmitter hypotheses of schizophrenia?

Evidence is accumulating that the exclusive dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia has to be abandoned. Instead, a more integrative approach combines different neurotransmitter systems, in which glutamatergic, GABAergic and dopaminergic pathways interact. This paradigm shift coincides with the recognition that, while typical and modern atypical antipsychotic drugs have efficiently controlled the dramatic psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia, their impact on negative and cognitive symptoms is negligible. Indeed, cognitive decline is now believed to represent the core of schizophrenic morbidity and in this context, impairment of glutamate and more specifically NMDA function is of major importance. Given that astrocytes are important in controlling glutamate homeostasis, it is necessary to assign a significant role to glial-neuronal interactions in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Indeed, recent data from several animal and human studies corroborate this notion. This review outlines current neurotransmitter hypotheses and evidence for glial impairment in schizophrenia. Furthermore, findings from recent studies of (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in experimental models of schizophrenia and NMDA hypofunction are presented and their implications for future research on glial-neuronal interactions discussed.

Glial-neuronal interactions are impaired in the schizophrenia model of repeated MK801 exposure.

Schizophrenia-mimicking compounds such as phencyclidine (PCP) and MK801 are antagonists at the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and produce the whole spectrum of positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. This is one of the most important pillars of the hypoglutamatergic hypothesis of schizophrenia. Since the synthesis of glutamate and GABA in neurons is closely connected to astrocyte metabolism, the study of astrocytic function is essential in this context. Dizocilpine-maleate (MK801) (0.5 mg/kg) was injected into rats every day for 6 days. The last dose was given together with [1-(13)C]glucose and [1,2-(13)C]acetate. Extracts from frontal, retrosplenial, and cingulate cortices (CRFC) and temporal lobes were examined by (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, high pressure liquid chromatography, and light microscopy. In CRFC, significant increases in the levels of glutamate, glutathione, and taurine were seen, whereas amounts and turnover of noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin were unchanged. Glutamate and glutamine, derived from [1,2-(13)C]acetate and thus astrocytes, were significantly decreased in CRFC as compared to controls. Labeling from [1-(13)C]glucose and thus mostly neuronal metabolism was affected in the same brain region with decreased labeling of glutamate and GABA. The present model mimics the increased glutamate/glutamine activity found in drug-naive patients with first episode schizophrenia. Moreover, the decreased labeling indicates the transition to lower glutamatergic function seen in chronic schizophrenia patients. The disturbance in astrocytic function and the glutamine-glutamate-GABA cycle are of significant importance and might add to the malfunction of the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical loop caused by NDMA receptor blockade.

Repeated injection of MK801: an animal model of schizophrenia?

Glutamate-induced neurotoxicity plays an important role in neurological and psychiatric diseases. Thus, much attention has been given to the potential neuroprotective role of glutamate receptor antagonists, especially to those acting on the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) subtype. However, in addition to their neuroprotective potential, these compounds have also neurotoxic and psychotogenic properties. In the present study we used repeated injections of MK801 to examine if this non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist could be used to produce schizophrenia-like alterations in behavior and brain metabolism in animals. Rats were given injections of MK801 (0.1 mg/kg) on six consecutive days, the last dose together with [1-(13)C]glucose and [1,2-(13)C]acetate, to probe neuronal and astrocytic metabolism, respectively. Analyses of extracts from parts of the frontal cortex plus cingulate and retrosplenial cortices and temporal lobes were performed using (13)C and (1)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Changes in glutamate and glutamine were restricted to the temporal lobe, in which amounts and labeling from [1-(13)C]glucose and [1,2-(13)C]acetate were increased compared to control. Locomotor activity was slightly higher in rats treated with MK801 compared to untreated animals. Metabolic changes did not resemble the alterations occurring in schizophrenia and those after repeated high dose (0.5 mg/kg) [Kondziella, D., Brenner, E., Eyjolfsson, E.M., Markinhuhta, K.R., Carlsson, M., Sonnewald, U., 2005. Glial-neuronal interactions are impaired in the schizophrenia model of repeated MK801 exposure. Neuropsychopharmacology, Epub ahead of print] but rather those caused by MK801 seen after a single high dose (0.5 mg/kg) [Brenner, E., Kondziella, D., Haberg, A., Sonnewald, U., 2005. Impaired glutamine metabolism in NMDA receptor hypofunction induced by MK801. J. Neurochem. 94, 1594-1603.].

A subconvulsive dose of kainate selectively compromises astrocytic metabolism in the mouse brain in vivo.

Despite the well-established use of kainate as a model for seizure activity and temporal lobe epilepsy, most studies have been performed at doses giving rise to general limbic seizures and have mainly focused on neuronal function. Little is known about the effect of lower doses of kainate on cerebral metabolism and particularly that associated with astrocytes. We investigated astrocytic and neuronal metabolism in the cerebral cortex of adult mice after treatment with saline (controls), a subconvulsive or a mildly convulsive dose of kainate. A combination of [1,2-(13)C]acetate and [1-(13)C]glucose was injected and subsequent nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of cortical extracts was employed to distinctively map astrocytic and neuronal metabolism. The subconvulsive dose of kainate led to an instantaneous increase in the cortical lactate content, a subsequent reduction in the amount of [4,5-(13)C]glutamine and an increase in the calculated astrocytic TCA cycle activity. In contrast, the convulsive dose led to decrements in the cortical content and (13)C labeling of glutamate, glutamine, GABA, and aspartate. Evidence is provided that astrocytic metabolism is affected by a subconvulsive dose of kainate, whereas a higher dose is required to affect neuronal metabolism. The cerebral glycogen content was dose-dependently reduced by kainate supporting a role for glycogen during seizure activity.

Knockout of GAD65 has major impact on synaptic GABA synthesized from astrocyte-derived glutamine.

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) synthesis from glutamate is catalyzed by glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) of which two isoforms, GAD65 and GAD67, have been identified. The GAD65 has repeatedly been shown to be important during intensified synaptic activity. To specifically elucidate the significance of GAD65 for maintenance of the highly compartmentalized intracellular and intercellular GABA homeostasis, GAD65 knockout and corresponding wild-type mice were injected with [1-(13)C]glucose and the astrocyte-specific substrate [1,2-(13)C]acetate. Synthesis of GABA from glutamine in the GABAergic synapses was further investigated in GAD65 knockout and wild-type mice using [1,2-(13)C]acetate and in some cases γ-vinylGABA (GVG, Vigabatrin), an inhibitor of GABA degradation. A detailed metabolic mapping was obtained by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic analysis of tissue extracts of cerebral cortex and hippocampus. The GABA content in both brain regions was reduced by ∼20%. Moreover, it was revealed that GAD65 is crucial for maintenance of biosynthesis of synaptic GABA particularly by direct synthesis from astrocytic glutamine via glutamate. The GAD67 was found to be important for synthesis of GABA from glutamine both via direct synthesis and via a pathway involving mitochondrial metabolism. Furthermore, a severe neuronal hypometabolism, involving glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle activity, was observed in cerebral cortex of GAD65 knockout mice.

Altered 13C glucose metabolism in the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical loop in the MK-801 rat model of schizophrenia.

Using a modified MK-801 (dizocilpine) N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor hypofunction model for schizophrenia, we analyzed glycolysis, as well as glutamatergic, GABAergic, and monoaminergic neurotransmitter synthesis and degradation. Rats received an injection of MK-801 daily for 6 days and on day 6, they also received an injection of [1-(13)C]glucose. Extracts of frontal cortex (FCX), parietal and temporal cortex (PTCX), thalamus, striatum, nucleus accumbens (NAc), and hippocampus were analyzed using (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A pronounced reduction in glycolysis was found only in PTCX, in which (13)C labeling of glucose, lactate, and alanine was decreased. (13)C enrichment in lactate, however, was reduced in all areas investigated. The largest reductions in glutamate labeling were detected in FCX and PTCX, whereas in hippocampus, striatum, and Nac, (13)C labeling of glutamate was only slightly but significantly reduced. The thalamus was the only region with unaffected glutamate labeling. γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) labeling was reduced in all areas, but most significantly in FCX. Glutamine and aspartate labeling was unchanged. Mitochondrial metabolites were also affected. Fumarate labeling was reduced in FCX and thalamus, whereas malate labeling was reduced in FCX, PTCX, striatum, and NAc. Dopamine turnover was decreased in FCX and thalamus, whereas that of serotonin was unchanged in all regions. In conclusion, neurotransmitter metabolism in the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical loop is severely impaired in the MK-801 (dizocilpine) NMDA receptor hypofunction animal model for schizophrenia.