Abstract
L-serine-O-sulphate is a member of a group of amino acids collectively called gliotoxins and is a substrate for the high affinity sodium-dependent glutamate transporters. Previous studies have shown that it is toxic to primary cultures of astrocytes but the mode of toxicity is unknown. The current study demonstrates that L-serine-O-sulphate, at a sub-toxic concentration (400 microM), causes significant disruption to glucose and alanine metabolism in cultures of rat cortical astrocytes. More specifically, using (13)C NMR spectroscopy a significant reduction in labelled end products from [1-(13)C]glucose and [3-(13)C]alanine was found in the presence of L-serine-O-sulphate. Additionally, using [2-(13)C]glycine a 27% reduction in de novo glutathione synthesis was observed in the presence of the gliotoxin. Incubation of the cells with L-serine-O-sulphate reduced the activity of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase by 53% and 67%, respectively. Collectively these results show that the gliotoxin, L-serine-O-sulphate, causes major disruptions to metabolic pathways in primary cultures of astrocytes.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Alanine / metabolism
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Alanine Transaminase / antagonists & inhibitors
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Alanine Transaminase / metabolism
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Animals
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Animals, Newborn
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Aspartate Aminotransferases / antagonists & inhibitors
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Aspartate Aminotransferases / metabolism
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Astrocytes / drug effects*
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Astrocytes / metabolism*
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Carbon Radioisotopes
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Cells, Cultured
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Central Nervous System / drug effects*
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Central Nervous System / metabolism*
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Central Nervous System / physiopathology
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Cerebral Cortex / drug effects
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Cerebral Cortex / metabolism
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Cerebral Cortex / physiopathology
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Down-Regulation / drug effects
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Down-Regulation / physiology
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Energy Metabolism / drug effects*
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Energy Metabolism / physiology
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Glucose / metabolism
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Glutathione / metabolism
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Lathyrism / chemically induced
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Lathyrism / metabolism
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Lathyrism / physiopathology
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Neurotoxins / toxicity
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Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
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Rats
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Rats, Wistar
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Serine / analogs & derivatives*
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Serine / toxicity
Substances
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Carbon Radioisotopes
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Neurotoxins
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Serine
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serine O-sulfate
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Aspartate Aminotransferases
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Alanine Transaminase
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Glutathione
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Glucose
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Alanine