Exposure of rat cerebral mitochondria to 2-10 mM glutamine (Gln) for 20 min, produced a concentration-dependent, gradual decrease of light scattering reflecting mitochondrial swelling. The light scattering decreasing effect of 5 mM Gln was attenuated by 0.5 microM cyclosporin A (CsA), an inhibitor of mitochondrial permeability transition (mPT) induction. Histidine (His), which is a potent inhibitor of high affinity Gln uptake to mitochondria, attenuated Gln-induced decrease of mitochondrial light scattering when added at equimolar concentration, and abolished the decrease when added at 15 mM concentration shortly before addition of Gln. His inhibited the uptake of 5 mM [14C]Gln in a concentration-dependent manner as measured during 3 min incubation. CsA did neither affect [14C]Gln uptake nor modified its inhibition by His. The effects of 5 mM His and 0.5 microM CsA on mitochondrial light scattering were additive, indicating that mitochondrial swelling represents a cumulative effect of Gln -driven entry of osmotically obligated water and induction of mPT. Addition of ammonium ions at neurotoxic concentrations neither influenced the decrease of light scattering induced by Gln, nor produced any change in light scattering when added alone. The results point to mitochondrial swelling and subsequent activation of mPT, as one of the potential mechanisms by which Gln induces metabolic disturbances in the brain in hyperammonemic conditions.