Skip to main content
Log in

The presence of glutathione in primary neuronal and astroglial cultures from rat cerebral cortex and brain stem

  • Full Papers
  • Published:
Journal of Neural Transmission / General Section JNT Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The concentration of the tripeptide glutathione (GSH) was measured in primary cultures of neurons and astroglial cells from rat cerebral cortex and brain stem. The concentration of GSH was found to be approximately 20 nmol/ mg protein in the neuronal culture from the cerebral cortex and ca. 40 nmol/ mg protein in the neuronal brain stem cultures. A GSH concentration of approximately 20 nmol/mg was observed in the astrocyte cultures from both brain regions. The possibility to increase the GSH concentration was tested by incubating the cultures in the presence of the GSH precursor γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-GC). In the cultured astrocytes γ-GC produced a dose-dependent increase in GSH. A similar increase was observed in the neuronal cultures, but this effect failed to reach statistical significance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson ME, Meister A (1983) Transport and direct utilization of γ-glutamylcyst(e)ine for glutathione synthesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci (USA) 80: 707–711

    Google Scholar 

  • Berl S, Lajtha A, Waelsch H (1961) Amino acid and protein metabolism. VI. Cerebral compartments of glutamic acid metabolism. J Neurochem 7: 186–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Bioanalytical Systems Inc. (1982) LCEC application note 46: Glutathione in whole blood

  • Booth J, Boyland E, Sims P (1961) An enzyme from rat liver catalysing conjugations with glutathione. Biochem J 79: 516–524

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlsson A (1986) Brain neurotransmittors in normal and pathological aging. In: Scheibel AB, Wechler AF, Brazeir MAB (eds) The biological substrates of Alzheimer's disease. UCLA Forum in Medical Sciences, No 27. Academic Press, Orlando, Florida, pp 193–203

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen G (1983) The pathobiology of Parkinson's disease: biochemical aspects of dopamine neuron senescence. J Neural Transm [Suppl 19]: 89–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitzpatrick SM, Cooper AJL, Hertz L (1988) Effects of ammonia and Β-methylene-DL-asparate on the oxidation of glucose and pyruvate by neurons and astrocytes in primary culture. J Neurochem 51: 1197–1203

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansson E, RönnbÄck L (1989) Primary cultures of astroglia and neurons from different brain regions. In: Shahar A, deVellis J, Vernadakis A, Haber B (eds) A dissection and tissue culture manual of the nervous system. Alan R Liss, New York, pp 92–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Kosower NS, Kosower EM (1978) The glutathione status of cells. Int Rev Cytol 54: 109–160

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowry OH, Rosenburgh NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ (1951) Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193: 265–275

    Google Scholar 

  • Pettmann B, Louis JC, Sensenbrenner M (1979) Morphological and biochemical maturation of neurones cultured in the absence of glial cells. Nature 281: 378–380

    Google Scholar 

  • Pileblad E, Magnusson T (1989) Intracerebroventricular administration of L-buthionine sulfoximine; a method for depleting brain glutathione. J Neurochem 53: 1878–1882

    Google Scholar 

  • Pileblad E, Fornstedt B, Magnusson T (1989) Reduction of brain glutathione by L-buthionine sulfoximine potentiates the dopamine-depleting action of 6-hydroxydopamine in rat striatum. J Neurochem 52: 978–980

    Google Scholar 

  • Raps SP, Lai JCK, Hertz L, Cooper AJL (1989) Glutathione is present in high concentrations in cultured astrocytes but not in cultured neurons. Brain Res 493: 398–401

    Google Scholar 

  • Riederer P, Sofie E, Rausch W-D, Schmidt B, Reynolds GP, Jellinger K, Youdim MBH (1989) Transition metals, ferritin, glutathione and ascorbic acid in Parkinsonian brains. J Neurochem 52: 515–520

    Google Scholar 

  • Slivka A, Mytilineou C, Cohen G (1987) Histochemical evaluation of glutathione in brain. Brain Res 409: 275–284

    Google Scholar 

  • Strumeyer D, Bloch K (1962) γ-L-Glutamyl-L-cystein from glutathione. In: Swenson RT, Hill RL (eds) Biochemical preparations, vol 9. Wiley, New York, pp 52–58

    Google Scholar 

  • SöderbÄck M, Hansson E, Tottmar O, RönnbÄck L (1989) Neurons in primary cultures from five defined rat brain regions — cellular composition and morphological appearance. Cell Mol Biol 35: 1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Yudkoff M, Pleasure G, Cregar L, Lin Z-P, Nissim I, Stern J, Nissim I (1990) Glutathione turnover in cultured astrocytes: studies with [15 N]glutamate. J Neurochem 55: 137–145

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pileblad, E., Eriksson, P.S. & Hansson, E. The presence of glutathione in primary neuronal and astroglial cultures from rat cerebral cortex and brain stem. J. Neural Transmission 86, 43–49 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01250374

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01250374

Keywords

Navigation