MULTIPLE CLASSES OF THE OLIGODENDROCYTE LINEAGE ARE HIGHLY VULNERABLETO EXCITOTOXICITY

WE have recently shown that galactocerebroside (Gal-C)-expressing olig odendrocytes are highly vulnerable to (AMPA)/kainate receptor-mediated death. Here we examined the vulnerability of cells at different devel opmental stages of the oligodendrocyte lineage to AMPA/kainate recepto r-mediated excitotoxicity. Oligodendrocyte precursor cells, pre-oligod endrocytes and mature oligodendrocytes were killed by 24 h exposures t o low concentrations of kainate (30-100 mu M) Death was attenuated by the AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist 6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzo (f) quin oxaline-2,3-dione (NBQX). The high vulnerability of oligodendrocytes a nd their precursors to AMPA/kainate receptor excitotoxicity may repres ent an important mechanism of white matter damage resulting from traum a or ischemia in the perinatal and adult central nervous system (CNS). (C) 1998 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.