Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin causes excessive release of glutamate in the mouse hippocampus

The mechanism of neurotoxicity of Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin to the mouse brain was investigated. Intravenous injection in mice with the to xin caused seizure and excited hippocampal neurons. Microdialysis revealed that epsilon toxin induced excessive glutamate release in the hippocampus. Both the seizure and glutamate release were attenuated by prior injection w ith riluzole, an inhibitor of presynaptic glutamate release, suggesting tha t this toxin enhances glutamate efflux, leading to seizure and hippocampal neuronal damage. (C) 2000 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.