The Effects of Hypoxia-lschemia on Neutral Amino Acid Transporters in the Developing Rat Brain

• Published in: Developmental neuroscience Vol. 29; no. 3; pp. 268 - 274
• Main Authors: Leibovici, A, Rossignol, C, Montrowl, JA, Erickson, J D, Varoqui, H, Watanabe, M, Chaudhry, F A, Bredahl, MKL, Anderson, K J, Weiss, MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.2007
• ISSN: 0378-5866
• DOI: 10.1159/000097410

The neutral amino acid transporters SNAT1-3 and ASCT1 play critical roles in the recycling of glutamine, and subsequently glutamate, via the glutamine-glutamate cycle. Hypoxia-ischemia was induced in rat pups using the Rice-Vannucci model. Brains were harvested at 1 h, 24 h and 7 days after ischemia. The expression of NAATs was evaluated using immunoblotting, real-time PCR, and immunohistochemistry. Results were compared with age-matched controls and shams. SNAT1 mRNA decreased at 1 h after injury in both hemispheres when compared with the control animals and correlated with a decrease in protein expression at 24 h in the hippocampus and cortex. SNAT1 protein expression increased globally at 7 days after injury and specifically in the hippocampus. Finally, SNAT2 and 3 demonstrated subtle changes in various brain regions after injury. These data suggest that neutral amino acid transporters remain largely intact after hypoxia-ischemia.