Characterization of the cystine/glutamate antiporter in cultured Bergmann glia cells

Publication date: Available online 24 February 2017 Source:Neurochemistry International Author(s): Edna Suárez-Pozos, Zila Martínez-Lozada, Orquidia G. Mendez-Flores, Alain M. Guillem, Luisa C. Hernández-Kelly, Francisco Castelán, Tatiana N. Olivares-Bañuelos, Donaji Chi-Castañeda, Mustapha Najimi, Arturo Ortega Glutamate, the major excitatory transmitter in the vertebrate brain is a potent neurotoxin through the over-stimulation of its specific membrane receptors. In accordance, a tight regulation of its extracellular levels by plasma membrane transporters is present. A family of excitatory amino acid transporters is expressed in neurons and glia cells and is responsible of the removal of the neurotransmitter from the synaptic cleft. Glial transporters account for more than 80% of the brain uptake activity. The cystine/glutamate antiporter is another plasma membrane-bound protein critically involved in glutamatergic transmission. Upon oxidative stress, it begins to pump out glutamate in exchange for cystine, mostly needed for glutathione production. Taking into consideration that all of these glutamate transporter proteins are present in glia cells that surround glutamatergic synapses, we reasoned that a functional coupling of them should exist to prevent an excitotoxic insult to the neighboring neuronal cells. To this end, we used the established model of chick cerebellar Bergmann glia cultures. Once we could establish the expression of the cystine/glutama...

Source: Neurochemistry International - February 23, 2017 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research