Altered vulnerability to kainate excitotoxicity of transgenic-Cu/Zn SOD1 neurones

Neuroreport. 2004 Nov 15;15(16):2477-80. doi: 10.1097/00001756-200411150-00009.

Abstract

The neurotoxicity of the AMPA/kainate receptor agonist kainate was investigated in motor and cortical neurones from mice over-expressing the wild-type and G93A mutant form of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) human gene, a mouse model of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. G93A mutant motor neurones were more vulnerable and wild-type SOD1 motor neurones were more resistant to kainate toxicity than were controls. Voltage-gated Na channels blockage prevented G93A mutant SOD1 motor neurone death. Cortical cultures exhibited fewer differences in their vulnerability to kainate toxicity. These results demonstrate that SOD1 over-expression selectively affects the sensitivity to kainate excitotoxicity of motor neurones but not neocortical neurones, and that wild-type SOD1 expression increases the resistance to excitotoxicity of motor neurones.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Asparagine / metabolism
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / pharmacology
  • Cell Count / methods
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cerebral Cortex / cytology*
  • Cobalt / pharmacology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Interactions
  • Embryo, Mammalian
  • Female
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / metabolism
  • Glutamic Acid / metabolism
  • Immunohistochemistry / methods
  • Kainic Acid / toxicity*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Motor Neurons / drug effects*
  • Neurotoxins / toxicity*
  • Nifedipine / pharmacology
  • Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / metabolism
  • Sodium Channel Blockers / pharmacology
  • Spinal Cord / cytology
  • Superoxide Dismutase / genetics*
  • Tetrodotoxin / pharmacology
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
  • Neurotoxins
  • Sodium Channel Blockers
  • Cobalt
  • Glutamic Acid
  • Tetrodotoxin
  • Asparagine
  • SOD1 G93A protein
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • Phosphopyruvate Hydratase
  • Nifedipine
  • Kainic Acid

Grants and funding