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Enhanced taurine release in cultured cerebellar granule cells in cell-damaging conditions

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Summary

The release of taurine from cultured cerebellar granule neurons was studied in different cell-damaging conditions, including hypoxia, hypoglycemia, ischemia, oxidative stress and in the presence of free radicals. The effects of both ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptor agonists on the release were likewise investigated. The release of [3H]taurine from the glutamatergic granule cells was increased by K+ (50mM) and veratridine (0.1 mM), the effect of veratridine being the greater. Hypoxia and ischemia produced an initial increase in release compared to normoxia but resulted in a diminished response to K. Hypoglycemia, oxidative stress and free radicals enhanced taurine release, and subsequent K− treatment exhibited a correspondingly greater stimulation. A common feature of taurine release in all the bove conditions was a slow response to the stimulus evoked by K+ and particularly to that evoked by veratridine. All ionotropic glutamate receptor agonists potentiated taurine release, but only the action of kainate seemed to be receptor-mediated. Metabotropic receptor agonists of group I slightly stimulated the release. The prolonged taurine release seen in both normoxia and cell-damaging conditions may be of importance in maintaining homeostasis in the cerebellum and reducing excitability for a longer period than other neuroprotective mechanisms.

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Abbreviations

AIDA:

(RS)-1-aminoindan-1,5-dicarboxylate

AMPA:

2-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate

CNOX:

6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione

DCG IV:

(2S,2′R,3′R)-2-(2′,3′-dicarboxycyclo-propyl)glycine

DHPG:

(S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine

EGLU:

(2S)-2-ethylglutamate

L-AP3:

L(+)-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionate

L-AP4:

L(+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate

L-SOP:

o-phospho-l-serine

NBOX:

6-nitro-7-sulphamoyl[f]quinoxaline-2,3-dione

NMDA:

n-methyl-d-aspartate

trans-ACPD:

(1S,3S)-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylate

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tampere Brain Research Center, University of Tampere Medical School, Box 607, FIN-33101, Tampere, Finland

    P. Saransaari

  2. Department of Clinical Physiology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland

    S. S. Oja

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  1. P. Saransaari
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  2. S. S. Oja
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Saransaari, P., Oja, S.S. Enhanced taurine release in cultured cerebellar granule cells in cell-damaging conditions. Amino Acids 17, 323–334 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01361658

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01361658

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