Glutamate has been shown, at high concentrations (5-10 mM), to lead to
death in cells of the pheochromocytoma cell line PC12. We report that
similar concentrations of glutamate also kill immortalized central ne
ural cell lines, and that the expression of the proto-oncogene bcl-2 i
n these cell lines blocks glutamate neurotoxicity. Potassium chloride
(25 mM) also protects a cerebellar neuronal cell line, but not PC12 ce
lls, from glutamate toxicity.