Reduction of glutamine synthetase specific activity in cultured astroglia by ferrous chloride

✍ Scribed by E. Tiffany-Castiglioni; J. A. Roberts; L. V. Sheeler-Gough

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1989
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 858 KB
• Volume: 24
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0360-4012
• DOI: 10.1002/jnr.490240408

✦ Synopsis

Immature and mature rat astroglia in culture were assayed for glutamine synthetase (GS) activity after a single exposure to the epileptogen FeCI2. Cells were cultured with both standard and elevated extracellular potassium or glutamate (Glu) concentrations. FeCI2 reduced GS activity below control levels, whereas high Glu increased GS activity. However, stimulation by high Glu was significantly attenuated in cultures given both FeCI2 and high Glu, indicating that cells treated with FeCl2 were not able to respond as effectively to increased extracellular glutamate by increasing their GS activity. The significance of these findings is that glial regulation of the neuronal environment may be impaired, based on the proposed importance of GS in ammonia detoxification in the brain.