scholarly journals NLRX1 Enhances Glutamate Uptake and Inhibits Glutamate Release by Astrocytes

Cells ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaimaa Mahmoud ◽  
Marjan Gharagozloo ◽  
Camille Simard ◽  
Abdelaziz Amrani ◽  
Denis Gris

Uptake of glutamate from the extracellular space and glutamate release to neurons are two major processes conducted by astrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS) that protect against glutamate excitotoxicity and strengthen neuronal firing, respectively. During inflammatory conditions in the CNS, astrocytes may lose one or both of these functions, resulting in accumulation of the extracellular glutamate, which eventually leads to excitotoxic neuronal death, which in turn worsens the CNS inflammation. NLRX1 is an innate immune NOD-like receptor that inhibits the major inflammatory pathways. It is localized in the mitochondria and was shown to inhibit cell death, enhance ATP production, and dampen oxidative stress. In the current work, using primary murine astrocyte cultures from WT and Nlrx1-/- mice, we demonstrate that NLRX1 potentiates astrocytic glutamate uptake by enhancing mitochondrial functions and the functional activity of glutamate transporters. Also, we report that NLRX1 inhibits glutamate release from astrocytes by repressing Ca2+-mediated glutamate exocytosis. Our study, for the first time, identified NLRX1 as a potential regulator of glutamate homeostasis in the CNS.

Cells ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaimaa Mahmoud ◽  
Marjan Gharagozloo ◽  
Camille Simard ◽  
Denis Gris

Glutamate is one of the most prevalent neurotransmitters released by excitatory neurons in the central nervous system (CNS); however, residual glutamate in the extracellular space is, potentially, neurotoxic. It is now well-established that one of the fundamental functions of astrocytes is to uptake most of the synaptically-released glutamate, which optimizes neuronal functions and prevents glutamate excitotoxicity. In the CNS, glutamate clearance is mediated by glutamate uptake transporters expressed, principally, by astrocytes. Interestingly, recent studies demonstrate that extracellular glutamate stimulates Ca2+ release from the astrocytes’ intracellular stores, which triggers glutamate release from astrocytes to the adjacent neurons, mostly by an exocytotic mechanism. This released glutamate is believed to coordinate neuronal firing and mediate their excitatory or inhibitory activity. Therefore, astrocytes contribute to glutamate homeostasis in the CNS, by maintaining the balance between their opposing functions of glutamate uptake and release. This dual function of astrocytes represents a potential therapeutic target for CNS diseases associated with glutamate excitotoxicity. In this regard, we summarize the molecular mechanisms of glutamate uptake and release, their regulation, and the significance of both processes in the CNS. Also, we review the main features of glutamate metabolism and glutamate excitotoxicity and its implication in CNS diseases.


2012 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 295-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivana Stojanović ◽  
Srđan Ljubisavljević ◽  
Ivana Stevanović ◽  
Radmila Pavlović ◽  
Tatjana Cvetković ◽  
...  

Summary Nitric oxide (NO) is an important signalling molecule in a variety of physiological processes. NO, a gas, is produced from L-arginine by different isoforms of the nitric oxide synthase and serves as mediator in important physiological functions, such as promoting vasodilation of blood vessels and mediating communication between nervous system cells. Contradictory to its physiologic actions, free radical activity of NO can cause cellular damage by the induction of nitrosative stress with significant implications on nervous system diseases. Although the mechanism of NOmediated neurodegeneration still remains unclear, numerous studies suggest its crucial role in modification of protein functions by nitrosylation and nitro-tyrosination. NO contributes to glutamate excitotoxicity, participates in organelle fragmentation, inhibits mitochondrial respiratory complexes and mobilizes zinc from the internal stores. Recently, NO has been emerged as a mediator of epigenetic gene expression and chromatin changes. Besides, NO is a key mediator in the regulation of inflammatory and immune response of the central nervous system. It is involved in down regulation of several aspects of CNS inflammation, but also has a dual role in that it is required for inflammation in some situations.


2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (9) ◽  
pp. 1425-1429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah X Chu ◽  
Thiruma V Arumugam ◽  
Mathias Gelderblom ◽  
Tim Magnus ◽  
Grant R Drummond ◽  
...  

CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) plays important roles in extravasation and transmigration of monocytes under inflammatory conditions. CCR2 and its ligands have been extensively studied in a range of inflammatory diseases in the central nervous system (CNS), including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and ischemic stroke. This brief review summarizes our current understanding of the physiologic and pathologic roles of CCR2, focusing on its involvement in CNS inflammatory diseases. There appears to be a rationale for exploring therapies involving CCR2 inhibition in multiple sclerosis and ischemic stroke, but there is also evidence for immunomodulatory and protective effects of CCR2 activity during CNS inflammation. The critical balance between protective and detrimental roles of CCR2-dependent recruitment of leukocytes must therefore be carefully examined to guide safe and effective development of any therapies involving CCR2 modulation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (23) ◽  
pp. 12966
Author(s):  
Cheng-Wei Lu ◽  
Yu-Chen Huang ◽  
Kuan-Ming Chiu ◽  
Ming-Yi Lee ◽  
Tzu-Yu Lin ◽  
...  

This study investigated the effects of enmein, an active constituent of Isodon japonicus Hara, on glutamate release in rat cerebrocortical nerve terminals (synaptosomes) and evaluated its neuroprotective potential in a rat model of kainic acid (KA)-induced glutamate excitotoxicity. Enmein inhibited depolarization-induced glutamate release, FM1-43 release, and Ca2+ elevation in cortical nerve terminals but had no effect on the membrane potential. Removing extracellular Ca2+ and blocking vesicular glutamate transporters, N- and P/Q-type Ca2+ channels, or protein kinase C (PKC) prevented the inhibition of glutamate release by enmein. Enmein also decreased the phosphorylation of PKC, PKC-α, and myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrates in synaptosomes. In the KA rat model, intraperitoneal administration of enmein 30 min before intraperitoneal injection of KA reduced neuronal cell death, glial cell activation, and glutamate elevation in the hippocampus. Furthermore, in the hippocampi of KA rats, enmein increased the expression of synaptic markers (synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein 95) and excitatory amino acid transporters 2 and 3, which are responsible for glutamate clearance, whereas enmein decreased the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and CD11b. These results indicate that enmein not only inhibited glutamate release from cortical synaptosomes by suppressing Ca2+ influx and PKC but also increased KA-induced hippocampal neuronal death by suppressing gliosis and decreasing glutamate levels by increasing glutamate uptake.


2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongmei Chen ◽  
Raymond A. Swanson

Astrocytes are the most numerous cell type in the central nervous system. They provide structural, trophic, and metabolic support to neurons and modulate synaptic activity. Accordingly, impairment in these astrocyte functions during brain ischemia and other insults can critically influence neuron survival. Astrocyte functions that are known to influence neuronal survival include glutamate uptake, glutamate release, free radical scavenging, water transport, and the production of cytokines and nitric oxide. Long-term recovery after brain injury, through neurite outgrowth, synaptic plasticity, or neuron regeneration, is influenced by astrocyte surface molecule expression and trophic factor release. In addition, the death or survival of astrocytes themselves may affect the ultimate clinical outcome and rehabilitation through effects on neurogenesis and synaptic reorganization.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Robert ◽  
Robyn Umans ◽  
Joelle Martin ◽  
Harald Sontheimer

Abstract INTRODUCTION Glutamate is an important molecule in the biology of brain tumors. Glutamate reaches toxic concentrations in peritumoral tissue, contributing to tumor growth and peritumoral excitotoxicity. Mediated by the cystine-glutamate exchanger, System xc- (SXC), glutamate uptake allows production of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH), which protects cells from damage and cell death. We have shown SXC is variably expressed among glioma patients, with ∼50% demonstrating elevated expression, associated seizures, and glutamate excitotoxicity. In a clinical pilot study, we found pharmacological inhibition of SXC reduces glutamate release in gliomas with elevated SXC. We now hypothesize that differences in SXC expression is due to transcriptional and co-receptor regulation, specifically, by p53 and CD44. METHODS This study utilizes in Vivo propagated glioma xenolines to test the consequences of p53 and CD44 loss on SXC function. We use siRNA/shRNA against p53/CD44, and glutamate assays to test SXC function, as well as chromatin immunopreciptiation (ChIP) assay and immunofluorescence to detail the relationship between between p53/CD44 and SXC. Lastly, using electrophysiological recordings in live brain slices, we test peritumoral excitotoxicity due to SXC function in setting of p54/CD44 loss to determine glutamate excitotoxicity on the surrounding brain. RESULTS SXC activity and glutamate release is altered by p53 and CD44 expression, altering peritumoral excitotoxicity, invasion, and tumor growth. P53 activity transcriptionally suppresses SXC and prevents glutamate release. Furthermore, SXC is also regulated by the hyaluronan receptor CD44. CD44 appears to be a membrane co-receptor of SXC, and loss of CD44 results in decreased SXC function, and consequently the ability of glioma cells to invade and grow. CONCLUSION These studies explore new strategies to alter the abnormal glutamate biology of gliomas at a transcriptional level, which is advantageous given poor options for pharmacological inhibition of SXC. Furthermore, the expression of p53 and CD44 may have predictive value regarding treatment and prognosis of glioma.


Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 573
Author(s):  
Matjaž Stenovec

Ketamine, a non-competitive N–methyl–d–aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, exerts a rapid, potent and long-lasting antidepressant effect, although the cellular and molecular mechanisms of this action are yet to be clarified. In addition to targeting neuronal NMDARs fundamental for synaptic transmission, ketamine also affects the function of astrocytes, the key homeostatic cells of the central nervous system that contribute to pathophysiology of major depressive disorder. Here, I review studies revealing that (sub)anesthetic doses of ketamine elevate intracellular cAMP concentration ([cAMP]i) in astrocytes, attenuate stimulus-evoked astrocyte calcium signaling, which regulates exocytotic secretion of gliosignaling molecules, and stabilize the vesicle fusion pore in a narrow configuration, possibly hindering cargo discharge or vesicle recycling. Next, I discuss how ketamine affects astrocyte capacity to control extracellular K+ by reducing vesicular delivery of the inward rectifying potassium channel (Kir4.1) to the plasmalemma that reduces the surface density of Kir4.1. Modified astroglial K+ buffering impacts upon neuronal firing pattern as demonstrated in lateral habenula in a rat model of depression. Finally, I highlight the discovery that ketamine rapidly redistributes cholesterol in the astrocyte plasmalemma, which may alter the flux of cholesterol to neurons. This structural modification may further modulate a host of processes that synergistically contribute to ketamine’s rapid antidepressant action.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abeer Aldbass ◽  
Musarat Amina ◽  
Nawal M. Al Musayeib ◽  
Ramesa Shafi Bhat ◽  
Sara Al-Rashed ◽  
...  

AbstractExcess glutamate in the central nervous system may be a major cause of neurodegenerative diseases with gradual loss and dysfunction of neurons. Primary or secondary metabolites from medicinal plants and algae show potential for treatment of glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. Three plant extracts were evaluated for impact on glutamate excitotoxicity-induced in primary cultures of retinal ganglion cells (RGC). These cells were treated separately in seven groups: control; Plicosepalus. curviflorus treated; Saussurea lappa treated; Cladophora glomerate treated. Cells were treated independently with 5, 10, 50, or 100 µg/ml of extracts of plant or alga material, respectively, for 2 h. Glutamate-treated cells (48 h with 5, 10, 50, or 100 µM glutamate); and P. curviflorus/glutamate; S. lappa/glutamate; C. glomerata/glutamate [pretreatment with extract for 2 h (50 and 100 µg/ml) before glutamate treatment with 100 µM for 48 h]. Comet and MTT assays were used to assess cell damage and cell viability. The number of viable cells fell significantly after glutamate exposure. Exposure to plant extracts caused no notable effect of viability. All tested plants extracts showed a protective effect against glutamate excitotoxicity-induced RGC death. Use of these extracts for neurological conditions related to excitotoxicity and oxidative stress might prove beneficial.


2007 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 1327-1338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Romera ◽  
Olivia Hurtado ◽  
Judith Mallolas ◽  
Marta P Pereira ◽  
Jesús R Morales ◽  
...  

Excessive levels of extracellular glutamate in the nervous system are excitotoxic and lead to neuronal death. Glutamate transport, mainly by glutamate transporter GLT1/EAAT2, is the only mechanism for maintaining extracellular glutamate concentrations below excitotoxic levels in the central nervous system. We recently showed that neuroprotection after experimental ischemic preconditioning (IPC) involves, at least partly, the upregulation of the GLT1/EAAT2 glutamate transporter in astrocytes, but the mechanisms were unknown. Thus, we decided to explore whether activation of the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ, known for its antidiabetic and antiinflammatory properties, is involved in glutamate transport. First, we found that the PPARγ antagonist T0070907 inhibits both IPC-induced tolerance and reduction of glutamate release after lethal oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) (70.1% ± 3.4% versus 97.7% ± 5.2% of OGD-induced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and 61.8% ± 5.9% versus 85.9% ± 7.9% of OGD-induced glutamate release in IPC and IPC + T0070907 1 μmol/L, respectively, n = 6 to 12, P < 0.05), as well as IPC-induced astrocytic GLT-1 overexpression. IPC also caused an increase in nuclear PPARγ transcriptional activity in neurons and astrocytes (122.1% ± 8.1% and 158.6% ± 22.6% of control PPARγ transcriptional activity, n = 6, P < 0.05). Second, the PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone increased both GLT-1/EAAT2 mRNA and protein expression and [3H]glutamate uptake, and reduced OGD-induced cell death and glutamate release (76.3% ± 7.9% and 65.5% ± 15.1% of OGD-induced LDH and glutamate release in rosiglitazone 1 μmol/l, respectively, n = 6 to 12, P < 0.05). Finally, we have identified six putative PPAR response elements (PPREs) in the GLT1/EAAT2 promoter and, consistently, rosiglitazone increased fourfold GLT1/EAAT2 promoter activity. All these data show that the GLT1/EAAT2 glutamate transporter is a target gene of PPARγ leading to neuroprotection by increasing glutamate uptake.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jimin Ren ◽  
Fang Yu ◽  
Benjamin M. Greenberg

Over the past four decades, ATP, the obligatory energy molecule for keeping all cells alive and functioning, was thought to contribute only one set of 31P MR signals in the human brain. Here we report for the first time the simultaneous detection of two pools of ATP in the human brain by high-resolution 3D 31P MRSI at ultrahigh field 7T. These two ATP pools differ in cytosolic Mg2+ concentration (1:0.5 ratio), with a resonance separation of 0.5 ppm at beta-ATP, a well-established imaging marker of intracellular Mg2+ concentration. Mg2+ is a cofactor of ATPase and its deficiency is associated with immune dysfunction, free radical damage, perturbations in Ca2+ homeostasis, development of atherosclerosis and dyslipidemia, and a number of neurological disorders, such as cerebral vasospasm, stroke, migraine, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. Our study documents reduced Mg levels in the brain of patients with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disorders (MOGAD), which is an idiopathic, inflammatory, demyelinating condition of the central nervous system (CNS) more common in pediatric patients. Low-Mg2+ ATP signals in MOGAD were detected mostly in the white matter regions, which may suggest Mg2+ deficiency in oligodendrocytes, which are primarily responsible for maintenance and generation of the axonal myelin sheath. This preliminary study demonstrates the utility of the 7T 3D 31P MSRI for revealing altered energy metabolism with reduced Mg availability at a normal ATP level. The potential correlation between [Mg2+] and disease progression over time should be assessed in larger cohorts.


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