Abstract.
The present paper studied the effect and mechanism of neurosteroid pregnenolone sulfate (PREGS) on spontaneous glutamate release using electrophysiological and biochemical methods combined with a pharmacological approach. The results suggested that PREGS had a selective enhancing effect on spontaneous glutamate release in the prelimbic cortex and the hippocampus but not in the striatum. The effect of PREGS in the prelimbic cortex appeared to be via modulation of α1-adrenergic and σ1 receptors, but in the hippocampus it might be dependent on σ1 receptors only. The activation of α1-adrenergic receptors synergized σ1 receptor activation in the prelimbic cortex. Intracellular calcium released from the endoplasmic reticulum, protein kinase C, adenylyl cyclase and protein kinase A played a key role in the effect of PREGS. Intracellular calcium, protein kinase C and adenylyl cyclase might be upstream events in the activation of protein kinase A after PREGS.
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Received 7 January 2005; received after revision 19 February 2005; accepted 22 February 2005 Available online 29 March 2005
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Dong, Y., Fu, Y.M., Sun, J.L. et al. Neurosteroid enhances glutamate release in rat prelimbic cortex via activation of α1-adrenergic and σ1 receptors. CMLS, Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 62, 1003–1014 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-005-5004-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-005-5004-8