Prostaglandin E(2) stimulates glutamate receptor-dependent astrocyte neuromodulation in cultured hippocampal cells

J Neurobiol. 1999 Nov 5;41(2):221-9.

Abstract

Recent Ca(2+) imaging studies in cell culture and in situ have shown that Ca(2+) elevations in astrocytes stimulate glutamate release and increase neuronal Ca(2+) levels, and that this astrocyte-neuron signaling can be stimulated by prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)). We investigated the electrophysiological consequences of the PGE(2)-mediated astrocyte-neuron signaling using whole-cell recordings on cultured rat hippocampal cells. Focal application of PGE(2) to astrocytes evoked a Ca(2+) elevation in the stimulated cell by mobilizing internal Ca(2+) stores, which further propagated as a Ca(2+) wave to neighboring astrocytes. Whole-cell recordings from neurons revealed that PGE(2) evoked a slow inward current in neurons adjacent to astrocytes. This neuronal response required the presence of an astrocyte Ca(2+) wave and was mediated through both N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA glutamate receptors. Taken together with previous studies, these data demonstrate that PGE(2)-evoked Ca(2+) elevations in astrocyte cause the release of glutamate which activates neuronal ionotropic receptors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • 2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / pharmacology
  • 6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Astrocytes / cytology
  • Astrocytes / immunology*
  • Astrocytes / metabolism
  • Benzoates / pharmacology
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Cell Communication / immunology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dinoprostone / pharmacology*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Glycine / analogs & derivatives
  • Glycine / pharmacology
  • Hippocampus / cytology*
  • Membrane Potentials / drug effects
  • Neuroimmunomodulation / immunology*
  • Neurons / chemistry
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Neurons / physiology
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • Rats
  • Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / immunology
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / immunology*
  • Thapsigargin / pharmacology

Substances

  • Benzoates
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
  • Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • alpha-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine
  • Thapsigargin
  • 6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione
  • 2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate
  • Dinoprostone
  • Calcium
  • Glycine