ISSN:
1573-6903
Keywords:
Glutamate
;
gangliosides
;
free radicals
;
neuron viability
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract The neurotoxic effect of exposure of rat cerebellar granule cells to glutamate (I00 μM) is to a large extent prevented by incubation of neurons not only with micromolar, but even with nanomolar concentrations of gangliosides GM1, GD1b, and GT1b. GM1 was also shown to decrease significantly the per cent of dead neurons in culture after induction of lipid peroxidation. Exposure to glutamate was found to cause a significant decrease of the activity of Na+, K+-ATP-ase in rat brain cortex synaptosomes, but superoxide dismutase, alpha-tocopherol, or 10–100 nM GM1 practically prevented its action. Other data showing the ability of gangliosides to inhibit the intensification of free radical reactions by glutamate (based on the estimation of methemoglobin formation, SH group content, etc.) have been obtained. The results suggest that gangliosides are able to decrease the glutamate-induced activation of free radical reactions in nerve cells. This effect appears to contribute to their protective action against glutamate neurotoxicity.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1021076220411
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