O. Miyamoto et al., Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin causes excessive release of glutamate in the mouse hippocampus, FEMS MICROB, 189(1), 2000, pp. 109-113
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.
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