Cerebral Alanine Transport and Alanine Aminotransferase Reaction: Alanine as a Source of Neuronal Glutamate

Alanine transport and the role of alanine amino‐transferase in the synthesis and consumption of glutamate were investigated in the preparation of rat brain synaptosomes. Alanine was accumulated rapidly via both the high‐and low‐affinity uptake systems. The high‐affinity transport was dependent on the sodium concentration gradient and membrane electrical potential, which suggests a cotransport with Na + . Rapid accumulation of the Na + ‐alanine complex by synaptosomes stimulated activity of the Na + /K + pump and increased energy utilization; this, in turn, activated the ATP‐producing pathways, glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. Accumulation of Na + also caused a small depolarization of the plasma membrane, a rise in [Ca 2+ ] 1 , and a release of glutamate. Intra‐synaptosomal metabolism of alanine via alanine aminotransferase, as estimated from measurements of N fluxes from labeled precursors, was much slower than the rate of alanine uptake, even in the presence of added oxoacids. The velocity of [ 15 N]alanine formation from [ 15 N]glutamine was seven to eight times higher than the rate of [ 15 N]glutamate generation from [ 15 N]alanine. It is concluded that (a) overloading of nerve endings with alanine could be deleterious to neuronal function because it increases release of glutamate; (b) the activity of synaptosomal alanine aminotransferase is much slower than that of glutaminase and hence unlikely to play a major role in maintaining [glutamate] during neuronal activity; and (c) alanine aminotransferase might serve as a source of glutamate during recovery from ischemia/hypoxia when the alanine concentration rises and that of glutamate falls.