Neuronal injury is intricately linked to the activation of three distinct neuronal endonucleases. Since these endonucleases are exquisitely pH dependent, we investigated in primary rat hippocampal neurons the role of intracellular pH (pHi) regulation during nitric oxide (NO)‐induced toxicity. Neuronal injury was assessed by both a 0.4% Trypan blue dye exclusion survival assay and programmed cell death (PCD) with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase nick‐end labeling (TUNEL) 24 h following treatment with the NO generators sodium nitroprusside (300 μM), 3‐morpholinosydnonimine (300 μM), or 6‐(2‐hyrdroxy‐1‐methyl‐2‐nitrosohydrazino)‐N‐methyl‐1‐hexanamine (300 μM). The pHi was measured using the fluorescent probe BCECF. NO exposure yielded a rapid intracellular acidification during the initial 30 min from pHi 7.36 ± 0.01 to approximately 7.00 (p < .0001). Within 45 min, a biphasic alkaline response was evident, with pHi reaching 7.40 ± 0.02, that was persistent for a 6‐h period. To mimic the effect of NO‐induced acidification, neurons were acid‐loaded with ammonium ions to yield a pHi of 7.09 ± 0.02 for 30 min. Similar to NO toxicity, neuronal survival decreased to 45 ± 2% (24 h) and DNA fragmentation increased to 58 ± 8% (24 h) (p < .0001). Although neuronal caspases did not play a dominant role, neuronal injury and the induction of PCD during intracellular acidification were dependent upon enhanced endonuclease activity. Furthermore, maintenance of an alkaline pHi of 7.60 ± 0.02 during the initial 30 min of NO exposure prevented neuronal injury, suggesting the necessity for the rapid but transient induction of intracellular acidification during NO toxicity. Through the identification of the critical role of both NO‐induced intracellular acidification and the induction of the neuronal endonuclease activity, our work suggests a potential regulatory trigger for the prevention of neuronal degeneration. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 40: 171–184, 1999

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Metabotropic glutamate receptors, nitric oxide (NO), and the signal transduction pathways of protein kinase C (PKC) and protein kinase A (PKA) can independently alter ischemic‐induced neuronal cell death. We therefore examined whether the protective effects of metabotropic glutamate receptors during anoxia and NO toxicity were mediated through the cellular pathways of PKC or PKA in primary hippocampal neurons. Pretreatment with the metabotropic glutamate receptor agonists (±)‐1‐aminocyclopentane‐trans‐1,3‐dicarboxylic acid, (1S,3R)‐1‐aminocyclopentane‐1,3‐dicarboxylic acid (1S,3R‐ACPD), and l(+)‐2‐amino‐4‐phosphonobutyric acid (l‐AP4) 1 h before anoxia or NO exposure increased hippocampal neuronal cell survival from ∼30 to 70%. In addition, posttreatment with 1S,3R‐ACPD or l‐AP4 up to 6 h following an insult attenuated anoxic‐ or NO‐induced neurodegeneration. In contrast, treatment with l‐(+)‐2‐amino‐3‐phosphonopropionic acid, an antagonist of the metabotropic glutamate receptor, did not significantly alter neuronal survival during anoxia or NO exposure. Protection by the ACPD‐sensitive metabotropic receptors, such as the subtypes mGluR1α, mGluR2, and mGluR5, appears to be dependent on the modulation of PKC activity. In contrast, l‐AP4‐sensitive metabotropic glutamate receptors, such as the subtype mGluR4, may increase neuronal survival through PKA rather than PKC. Thus, activation of specific metabotropic glutamate receptors is protective during anoxia and NO toxicity, but the signal transduction pathways mediating protection differ among the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtypes.

Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) modulate several G-protein-related signal transduction pathways including intracellular calcium (iCa(2+)) that control both neuronal development and demise. As an initial investigation, we characterized the ability of specific mGluR subtypes to modulate iCa(2+) by using Fura-2 microfluorometry in primary hippocampal neurons. Activation rather than inhibition of the metabotropic system with the group I and group II mGluR agonist 1S, 3R-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid (ACPD), the specific group I agonist (S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG), and the specific group II agonist (2S,1'S,2'S)-2-(carboxycyclopropyl)glycine (LCCG-I) increased iCa(2+) with increasing concentrations. In contrast, the group III mGluR agonist, L(+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (L-AP4) produced no significant increase in iCa(2+). Through the pharmacological modulation of individual mGluR subtypes, we further examined the role of iCa(2+) release by the mGluR system. Release of iCa(2+) by both 1S,3R-ACPD and LCCG-I was prevented only through the administration of the antagonists (2S)-alpha-ethylglutamic acid (EGlu; mGluR2 and mGluR3) and (2S,1'S,2'S,3'R)-2-(2'-carboxy-3'-phenylcyclopropyl)glycine (PCCG-IV; mGluR2), suggesting that the mGluR2 subtype was responsible for the release of iCa(2+). As a control, the group I antagonists, L(+)-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid (L-AP3) and (RS)-1-aminoindan-1,5-dicarboxylic acid (AIDA), prevented DHPG release of iCa(2+) but were ineffective against iCa(2+) release by 1S,3R-ACPD. Although extracellular calcium influx did not significantly contribute to the release of iCa(2+) by the mGluR system, pharmacological inhibition of calcium-induced calcium-release-sensitive calcium pools played a critical role in the release of iCa(2+). Further characterization of the cellular calcium pools modulated by the mGluR subtypes may provide greater insight into the mechanisms that mediate neuronal function.

Neuronal survival after ischemic injury is determined through the induction of several biological pathways. We examined whether lubeluzole, an agent efficacious in both clinical and experimental models of cerebral ischemia, modulated the signal transduction mechanisms of nitric oxide (NO), a downstream mediator of anoxic neurodegeneration. Both pretreatment [NO survival = 23 ± 3%, NO/lubeluzole (750 nM) survival = 63 ± 2%, p < 0.001] and coadministration [NO survival = 25 ± 3%, NO/lubeluzole (750 nM) survival = 59 ± 3%, p < 0.001] of lubeluzole with NO generators equally protected cultured hippocampal neurons in a dose‐dependent manner against the toxic effects of NO, suggesting that the agent protects by acutely modifying toxic cellular pathways rather than preconditioning the neuron before injury. The protection observed with lubeluzole was stereospecific but was not limited to pre‐ or coadministration. Lubeluzole also was found to significantly protect against the toxicity of NO for a period of 4–6 h after NO exposure [NO survival = 31 ± 2%, NO/lubeluzole (750 nM) survival at 6 h = 56 ± 3%, p < 0.001]. We conclude that the neuroprotective ability of lubeluzole is unique and involves the direct modulation of the NO pathway. In addition, the mechanisms of NO toxicity are dynamic and reversible processes that, if left unaltered, will lead to neuronal injury. Further investigation of the downstream signal transduction mechanisms below the level of NO generation may elucidate the specific cellular events responsible for neurodegeneration.