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Selective Release of Spermine and Spermidine from the Rat Striatum by N‐Methyl‐ d ‐Aspartate Receptor Activation In Vivo
Author(s) -
Fage D.,
Voltz C.,
Scatton B.,
Carter C.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1992.tb10960.x
Subject(s) - nmda receptor , spermidine , spermine , kainate receptor , polyamine , chemistry , putrescine , glutamate receptor , ifenprodil , extracellular , ampa receptor , long term potentiation , receptor , pharmacology , biochemistry , biology , enzyme
The intrastriatal infusion of N ‐methyl‐ d ‐aspartate (NMDA; 250–1,000 μ M ) via a dialysis cannula in anesthetized rats resulted in a marked and rapid increase in the concentrations of spermine and spermidine recovered in the dialysate. Extracellular concentrations of NMDA‐released spermine and spermidine were calculated to be in the low micromolar range. Putrescine levels were not significantly affected by NMDA. The effects of NMDA (500 μM ) were blocked by the previous systemic injection of MK‐801 (3 mg/kg, i.p.) but were insensitive to the intrastriatal infusion of tetrodotoxin (1 μM ). Intrastriatally infused kainate or quisqualate (1,000 μM ) did not increase polyamine levels in the dialysate. Spermine and spermidine dialysate levels were also significantly increased by the infusion of high concentrations of K + (>100 m M ), although the effects of K + were considerably less marked than those of NMDA. Striatal polyamines are released into the extracellular space specifically by NMDA receptor activation. Because of their multiple effects on receptor‐ and voltage‐operated cation channels, polyamines that are released by NMDA receptor activation may play an important role in phenomena already attributed to NMDA receptor stimulation, such as long‐term potentiation, synaptic plasticity, and neurotoxicity.