Gma. Cunha et al., EFFECTS OF GANGLIOSIDES, OUABAIN AND ARACHIDONIC-ACID ON GLUTAMATE CYTOTOXICITY IN PC12 CELLS, Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin, 20(2), 1997, pp. 149-152
The present work shows that gangliosides prevent glutamate cytotoxicit
y in PC12 cells, Similarly, ouabain(1 and 5 mu g/ml) protected cells a
gainst glutamate-induced toxicity in a dose-dependent manner. The cyto
protection observed with ouabain was not maintained after its associat
ion with gangliosides and glutamate. Also, the effects of gangliosides
in blocking glutamate cytotoxicity did not persist in the presence of
arachidonic acid. The results indicate that a higher degree of sodium
pump inhibition is necessary for ouabain cytotoxicity to be manifeste
d, and that a partial enzyme inhibition may actually be protective to
glutamate and/or arachidonic acid-induced toxicity in PC12 cells.