Role of melanocortin receptor 4 in excitatory amino acid release from rat astrocytes in spinal cord / 中华麻醉学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective Role of melanocortin receptor 4 (MCAR) in excitatory amino acid release from rat astrocytes in spinal cord. Methods Astrocytes were isolated from the spinal cord of newborn pathogen-free Wistar rats ( 1-3 days after birth) and cultured in serum-free Neurobasal/B27 liquid culture medium. After 4 passages the primary cultured astrocytes were randomly divided into 3 groups (6 wells each) group Ⅰ control (group C); group Ⅱ the astrocytes were exposed to TNF-α 10 μg/L (group T) and group Ⅲ the astrocytes were exposed to TNF-α 10 μg/L and HS014 (selective MC4R antagonist) 1 μmol/L (group TH). The astrocytes were incubated at 37 ℃ for 3 h. The supernatant was collected for determination of glutamic acid (Glu) and aspartic acid (Asp)concentrations by HPLC-MS/MS. Results TNF-α significantly increased Glu and Asp release from astrocytes in group T as compared with group C. The Glu and Asp concentrations were significantly lower in group TH than in group T. Conclusion MG4R is involved in the excitatory amino acid release from astrocytes in the spinal cord.