Extracellular adenine nucleotides metabolism in astrocyte cultures from different brain regions

• Published in: Neurochemistry international 2003-12, Vol.43 (7), p.621-628
• Main Authors: Wink, Márcia R., Braganhol, Elizandra, Tamajusuku, Alessandra S.K., Casali, Emerson A., Karl, Juliana, Barreto-Chaves, Maria L., Sarkis, João J.F., Battastini, Ana M.O.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 5'-Nucleotidase - metabolism; adenine nucleotides; Adenine Nucleotides - metabolism; Adenosine; Adenosine Diphosphate - metabolism; Adenosine Monophosphate - metabolism; Adenosine Triphosphate - metabolism; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Astrocyte culture; Astrocytes - metabolism; ATP; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - cytology; Brain - metabolism; Brain region; Cerebellum - metabolism; Cerebral Cortex - metabolism; Dipyridamole - pharmacology; E-NTPDase; Ecto-5′-nucleotidase; Extracellular Space - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hippocampus - metabolism; Nucleoside Transport Proteins - antagonists & inhibitors; Organ Specificity; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
• ISSN: 0197-0186; 1872-9754
• DOI: 10.1016/S0197-0186(03)00094-9

Primary astrocyte cultures from hippocampus, cortex and cerebellum presented different extracellular pattern of adenine nucleotide hydrolysis. The ATP/ADP hydrolysis ratio was 8:1 for hippocampal and cortical astrocytes and 5:1 for cerebellar astrocytes. The AMP hydrolysis in cerebellar astrocytes was seven-fold higher than in cortical or hippocampal cells. No accumulation of extracellular adenosine in all structures studied was observed. Dipyridamol increased significantly inosine levels in the extracellular medium of hippocampal and cortical, but not in cerebellar astrocytes medium. A higher expression of ecto-5′-nucleotidase was identified by RT-PCR in cerebellum. The differences observed may indicate functional heterogeneity of nucleotides in the brain.