An enzymatic-HPLC assay to monitor endogenous D-serine release from neuronal cultures

Methods Mol Biol. 2012:794:291-7. doi: 10.1007/978-1-61779-331-8_19.

Abstract

D-Serine is a transmitter-like molecule that physiologically activates NMDA receptors in the brain. Although D-serine was thought to be exclusively released by astrocytes, we recently demonstrated endogenous D-serine release from neurons in cultures and slices. So far high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been the standard technique to monitor D-serine and other amino acids. This method employs pre-column derivatization with a chiral reagent to produce fluorescence derivatives that can be further separated on a reversed-phase column. Due to the close retention times of L-serine, L-glutamine, and D-serine, the quantification of low levels of endogenous D-serine synthesis and release from cell cultures and tissues can be challenging. We here describe an enzymatic treatment method to specifically destroy L-glutamine and L-serine by glutaminase and L-serine dehydratase enzymes, respectively, allowing accurate determination of nanomolar D: -serine concentrations by subsequent HPLC analysis.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods*
  • DNA Primers
  • Enzymes / metabolism
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Serine / metabolism*

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • Enzymes
  • Serine