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Neuroprotective effects of NMDA receptor glycine recognition site antagonism: dependence on glycine concentration.

High-affinity NMDA receptor glycine recognition site antagonists protect brain tissue from ischemic damage. The neuroprotective effect of 5-nitro-6,7-dichloro-2,3-quinoxalinedione (ACEA 1021), a selective NMDA receptor antagonist with nanomolar affinity for the glycine binding site, was examined in rat cortical mixed neuronal/glial cultures. ACEA 1021 alone did not alter spontaneous lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Treatment with ACEA 1021 (0.1-10 microM) before 500 microM glutamate, 30 microM NMDA, or 300 microM kainate exposure was found to reduce LDH release in a concentration-dependent fashion. These effects were altered by adding glycine to the medium. Glycine (1 mM) partially reversed the effect of ACEA 1021 on kainate cytotoxicity. Glycine (100 microM-1 mM) completely blocked the effects of ACEA 1021 on glutamate and NMDA cytotoxicity. The glycine concentration that produced a half-maximal potentiation of excitotoxin-induced LDH release in the presence of 1.0 microM ACEA 1021 was similar for glutamate and NMDA (18 +/- 3 and 29 +/- 9 microM, respectively). ACEA 1021 also reduced kainate toxicity in cultures treated with MK-801. The effects of glycine and ACEA 1021 on glutamate-induced LDH release were consistent with a model of simple competitive interaction for the strychnine-insensitive NMDA receptor glycine recognition site, although nonspecific effects at the kainate receptor may be of lesser importance.

Animals↗

Fibrates and their newly synthesized glycinate or glycinate-methylester derivatives: comparison of the interactions with liver cytochrome P450 dependent monooxygenase- and oxidase-functions in vitro.

Different fibrates (bezafibrate, ciprofibrate, clofibrate, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil) were investigated in comparison with their newly synthesized glycinate and glycinate-methylester derivatives. Interactions with the cytochrome P450 (CYP) system were studied by assessing binding to CYP and effects on CYP mediated monooxygenase functions in rat liver 9000 g supernatants, as measured by six model reactions for different CYP isoforms (ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation, ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation, pentoxyresorufin O-depentylation, p-nitrophenol-hydroxylation, ethylmorphine N-demethylation, lauric acid 11- or 12-hydroxylation). Possible prooxidant or antioxidant properties were investigated by the stimulated lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide production, and lucigenin and luminol amplified chemiluminescence using rat liver microsomes. Additionally, the influence on luminol amplified rat whole blood chemiluminescence was examined. All substances tested displayed binding to CYP. Effects on the monooxygenase model reactions were in general more distinct with the glycinates than with the parent compounds and most pronounced with the glycinate-methylester derivatives. The slightest effects on all model reactions were seen with clofibrate and its derivatives. On the whole, low antioxidative rather than prooxidative effects were observed. In general and with most model reactions, the antioxidative capacity of the glycinate and glycinate-methylester derivatives slightly exceeded that of the respective parent compounds. Summarizing the results it can be concluded that with respect to possible interactions with the CYP system in vivo and thus with the biotransformation of other concomitantly administered compounds no advantages of the glycinate or glycinate methylester derivatives over their parent fibrates are to be expected. Only the antioxidative capacity of the derivatives was somewhat higher than that of the parent substances, though most probably only of minor therapeutical relevance.

Animals↗

Specific induction by glycine of the gene for the P-subunit of glycine decarboxylase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The glycine decarboxylase complex (GDC) is composed of four subunits referred to as H-, L-, P-, and T-proteins. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae GCV2 gene, encoding the P-protein has been cloned by complementation of the gsd2 mutation which prevents cells converting glycine to serine or using glycine as the sole nitrogen source. The gene, located on the right arm of chromosome XIII adjacent to TPS1, encodes a product with a M(r) of 114385. Expression of GCV2 was induced by the addition of more than 200 microM glycine in the medium, and a maximal sixfold induction occurred above 1 mM. This response was specific to glycine and was not observed for any other amino acid. Under the same conditions, the intracellular level of glycine increased up to 30-fold. The levels of P- and L-protein transcripts and GDC activity were also elevated in cells grown in the presence of glycine. Deletion analysis of the GCV2 promoter delimited the control region which contains putative regulatory sites for GCN4 and GLN3 transcription factors.

Amino Acid Oxidoreductases↗

Effects of endogenous agonists, glycine and D-serine, on in vivo specific binding of [11C]L-703,717, a PET radioligand for the glycine-binding site of NMDA receptors.

A positron-emitter (carbon-11) labeled antagonist for the glycine-binding site of NMDA receptors, [(11)C]L-703,717, has a unique in vivo binding characteristic, in which it preferentially binds to cerebellar-specific NMDA receptors consisting of a GluRepsilon3 subunit and eventually accumulates in rodent cerebellum under in vivo conditions, but not under in vitro conditions. In order to understand the in vivo-specific site and subunit localization of this radioligand, we examined the effect of the endogenous glycine site agonists, glycine and D-serine, on in vivo [(11)C]L-703,717 binding. An increase in extracellular glycine concentration by treatment with a glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1)-selective inhibitor, NFPS ethyl ester, significantly decreased the cerebellar localization of [(11)C]L-703,717 in rats. D-serine is known to be concentrated in mammalian forebrain regions. The lack of D-serine detection in the cerebellum may be due to the fact that it has the highest enzymatic activity of D-amino acid oxidase (DAO). It was found that the cerebellar localization of [(11)C]L-703,717 is greatly diminished in mutant mice lacking DAO, in which D-serine content in the cerebellum is drastically increased from a nondetectable level in normal mice. These studies indicate that [(11)C]L-703,717 is susceptible to inhibition by glycine site agonists in its in vivo binding, and suggest that regional differences in inhibitions by endogenous agonists may be a crucial factor in the site- and subunit-specific binding of this glycine-site antagonist.

Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral↗

Photolysis of a newly synthesized caged glycine activates the glycine receptor of rat CNS neurons.

The functions of 12 different newly synthesized caged glycines were examined on strychnine-sensitive glycine receptors on rat hypothalamic neurons using photochemical and physiological methods. Quantitative analysis of Cl- current induced by photolyzed glycines revealed N-[1-(2-nitrophenyl)ethylcarbonoxyl] glycine (N4-caged glycine) to be the most effectively photolyzed. The current amplitude induced by photolyzed N4-caged glycine was almost the same as that induced by normal glycine. We propose N-[1-(2-nitrophenyl)ethylcarbonoxyl] to be a useful photolabile moiety for new caged neurotransmitters.

Animals↗

Comparison of binding at strychnine-sensitive (inhibitory glycine receptor) and strychnine-insensitive (N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor) glycine binding sites.

We compared, for a number of ligands to the two receptors, the displacement of [3H]strychnine binding to the glycine-gated chloride channel of spinal cord and brainstem synaptic membranes to the displacement of [3H]glycine binding to the NMDA receptor complex of hippocampal and cortex synaptic membranes. Glycine and beta-alanine are recognized by both receptors. In the NMDA receptor glycine antagonists, the kynurenic acids, most of the quinoxalinediones, and the (R)-enantiomer of HA-966 had little affinity at the strychnine-sensitive site. Surprisingly, the quinoxalinedione widely used as an AMPA (alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid) receptor antagonist, NBQX (2,3-dihydro-6-nitro-sulfamoylbenzo[f]quinoxaline-2,3-dione) displaced [3H]strychnine binding (IC50 = 11 microM) and to a lesser extent [3H]glycine binding (IC50 = 119 microM). Of the compounds tested, only strychnine, brucine, taurine and (S)-HA-966 were more potent displacers of [3H]strychnine than of glycine binding. Generally, the two glycine recognition sites appear to have remarkably different structural requirements.

Animals↗

The glycine transporter GLYT2 is a reliable marker for glycine-immunoreactive neurons.

The glycine transporter GLYT2 is present in neurons of the spinal cord, the brain stem and the cerebellum. This localization is similar to that of glycine immunoreactivity, suggesting a causal relationship between GLYT2 expression and glycine distribution. In this report, we analyzed if such a relationship does exist by using neuronal cultures derived from embryonic spinal cord. GLYT2 was synthesized in a small subpopulation of neurons where it was targeted both to dendrites and to axons, being the axonal content higher than the dendritic one. At early stages in the development of cultured spinal neurons, the highest GLYT2 levels were found in the axonal growth cones. As the culture matured, immunoreactivity extended to the axonal shaft. Double-immunofluorescence experiments indicated a perfect co-localization of GLYT2 and glycine immunoreactivity in cultured neurons. Moreover, the concentration of glycine into neurons expressing GLYT2 was proportional to the concentration of the transporter. This observation was reproduced in GLYT2-transfected COS cells. These evidences indicate that the high content of glycine observed in some neurons in culture is indeed achieved by the concentrative task performed by GLYT2, and that GLYT2 can be used as a reliable marker for identification of glycine-enriched neurons.

Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral↗

Synthesis and photochemistry of photolabile N-glycine derivatives and effects of one on the glycine receptor.

Three photolabile precursors of glycine containing a photosensitive 2-nitrobenzyl moiety attached to the amino group have been synthesized. When exposed to ultraviolet radiation between 308 and 350 nm, the compounds photolyze to release glycine, an important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. The identification of glycine as a photolysis product was determined by two different methods: separation of the photolyzed sample by thin-layer chromatography followed by a reaction with ninhydrin, and recognition of derivatized glycine using the Waters pico-tag method in conjunction with high-performance liquid chromatography. The photolysis of these compounds at 22 degrees C has been investigated, and the rate of decay of a transient intermediate in the reaction, which is assumed to reflect product release, has been measured. For N-(alpha-carboxy-2-nitrobenzyl)glycine this decay rate was found to be 940 s-1 at pH 6.8 and 600 s-1 at pH 7.5. Additionally, this compound was found to exhibit biological activity upon photolysis; cultured mouse spinal cord cells containing neuronal glycine receptors were used to detect the glycine liberation. The approach adopted here is useful in demonstrating the utility of photolabile precursors of neurotransmitters that have the protecting group linked to the neurotransmitter through the amino group. The rapid photolysis of such compounds to release free neurotransmitter is valuable in gaining access to chemical kinetic studies of neurotransmitter receptors. Previously, such studies have been limited because the available methods for neurotransmitter delivery did not give a sufficiently high time resolution.

Animals↗

Sulfhydryl groups modulate the allosteric interaction between glycine binding sites at the inhibitory glycine receptor.

We have investigated the effect of chemical reagents that modify sulfhydryl groups on the ligand binding properties of the glycine receptor (GlyR). The Hill coefficient (nH) for the displacement of [3H]strychnine binding by glycine was increased from approximately 0.8 to values significantly above 1 (approximately 1.2-1.4) in membranes pretreated with the disulfide-reducing agent dithiothreitol or glutathione. However, the affinity of strychnine or glycine for the GlyR was not affected by these treatments. This indicates that several glycine binding sites interact cooperatively for displacing bound strychnine under such experimental circumstances. A similar increase in the nH for glycine has been observed when the temperature of the binding assay was increased to 37 degrees C. Combination of dithiothreitol pretreatment and increased binding temperature led to nH variations similar to those observed with either of these treatments alone, a finding suggesting that their mechanisms of action are not independent. Conversely, modification of rat spinal cord membranes or of purified and reconstituted GlyR preparations with the sulfhydryl-alkylating agent N-ethylmaleimide or fluorescein-maleimide decreased nH values to approximately 0.5, without affecting glycine or strychnine affinities. This effect may be caused by an increased heterogeneity of GlyR populations. It is interesting that occupancy of the receptor by glycine or beta-alanine (but not by antagonists) specifically protects from the effects of the different sulfhydryl reagents. Moreover, the presence of some of the Eccles' anions, i.e., anions that permeate through the channels associated with GlyRs and gamma-aminobutyric acidA receptors, seems to be required for the action of both dithiothreitol and N-ethylmaleimide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Allosteric Regulation↗

Molecular basis for proton regulation of glycine transport by glycine transporter subtype 1b.

In the central nervous system, glycine is a coagonist with glutamate at the N-methyl-D-aspartate subtype of ionotropic glutamate receptors. The GLYT1b subtype of glycine transporters is expressed in similar regions of the brain as the excitatory N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors and has been postulated to regulate glycine concentrations within excitatory synapses. We have expressed GLYT1b in Xenopus laevis oocytes and used electrophysiological techniques to investigate the pH regulation of glycine transporter function. We found that H(+) inhibits glycine transport by a noncompetitive mechanism, with half-maximal inhibition occurring at concentrations found in both physiological and pathological conditions. Charge-to-flux experiments revealed that the decreased current measured corresponds to a decreased influx of [(3)H]glycine and that the proton inhibition of GLYT1b does not alter the coupling ratio of transport. The membrane potential does not affect proton inhibition of transport, suggesting that the site of action on GLYT1b is not within the electric field of the membrane. Mutation of histidine 421 to an alanine residue, in the fourth extracellular loop of GLYT1b, renders the transporter insensitive to regulation by pH, but does not seem to alter the kinetics of glycine transport. These results suggests that histidine 421 is responsible for mediating the inhibitory actions of protons. Proton modulation of GLYT1b may be an important factor in determining the dynamics of excitatory neurotransmission.

Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral↗

Effects of GABA receptor antagonists on retinal glycine receptors and on homomeric glycine receptor alpha subunits.

Glycinergic and GABAergic inhibition are juxtaposed at one retinal synaptic layer yet likely perform different functions. These functions have usually been evaluated using receptor antagonists. In examining retinal glycine receptors, we were surprised to find that commonly used concentrations of GABA antagonists blocked significant fractions of the glycine current. In retinal amacrine and ganglion cells, the competitive GABAA receptor antagonists (bicuculline and SR95531) were also competitive GlyR antagonists. Picrotoxinin produced a noncompetitive inhibition of retinal GlyRs. [1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-4-yl] methylphosphinic acid, the GABACR antagonist, did not inhibit glycine receptors. All three GABAA receptor antagonists were competitive inhibitors of homomeric alpha1 or alpha2 GlyRs expressed in human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293) cells. Interestingly, bicuculline was much more effective at alpha2 GlyRs and might be used to separate glycine receptor subtypes. Thus commonly used concentrations of GABA antagonists do not unambiguously differentiate GABA and glycine pathways. Picrotoxinin inhibition of GABAC receptors requires two amino acids in the second transmembrane region (TM2): 2' serine and 6' threonine. Although TM2 regions in GABA and glycine receptors are highly homologous, neither 2' serine nor 6' threonine is essential for picrotoxinin sensitivity in glycine receptors.

Ambystoma↗

Glycine metabolism and glycine synthase activity during the postnatal development of rat brain.

Glycine synthase from rat brain mitochondria shows an apparent Km for glycine of 2.6 mM. Glycine synthase from rat brain homogenate has a maximum of activity at the 10th day of life. However, each area of the central nervous system shows a different developmental pattern of glycine synthase activity. Both the 14CO2 production from (U-14C)-glycine and the incorporation of the radioactivity from the (U-14C)-glycine to the acid-insoluble fraction by cortex slices has a developmental profile similar to the glycine synthase activity in this area, having a maximum on the 10th day.

Amino Acid Oxidoreductases↗

Oligo-glycine synthesis in an aqueous solution of glycine under oxidative conditions.

Di- and tri-glycine were synthesized in 1M aqueous solution of glycine by bubbling for 90 hr with oxygen discharged in the path from an oxygen cylinder. The peptides were also produced by an incubation at 37 degrees C of 2M glycine solution prepared with 75% hydrogen peroxide, and the yields were traced for 200 days. The final yields were about 0.25% and 0.01% for di- and tri-glycine, respectively. The solution at 166 days of incubation was applied to a Sephadex G10 column, and the fractions around the top of the chromatogram were found to increase the intensity of ninhydrin color about 4 approximately 5 times after hydrolysis, indicating an existence of oligo-glycine. The solutions of 1M glycine and 0.5M diglycine prepared with 30% hydrogen peroxide were incubated at 37 degrees C for 38 days, and di- and tetra-glycine were detected in the yields of 0.12% and 0.33%, respectively.

Dipeptides↗

Glycine intravenous donor preconditioning is superior to glycine supplementation to low-potassium dextran flush preservation and improves graft function in a large animal lung transplantation model after 24 hours of cold ischemia.

OBJECTIVES: The potential role of glycine in combination with standard lung preservation with low-potassium dextran solution in lung ischemia-reperfusion injury has not been investigated in a preclinical porcine transplant model. METHODS: In a control group (n = 6), donor lungs were flushed with 1 liter of low-potassium dextran solution. In a second group (LPD-glyc, n = 6), low-potassium dextran solution was supplemented with 3.75 g of glycine. In a third group (IV-glyc, n = 6), donor preconditioning was performed by intravenous administration of 3.75 g glycine 1 hour before low-potassium dextran preservation. Grafts were stored in low-potassium dextran at 4 degrees C for 24 hours. Posttransplant graft function was assessed throughout a 7-hour observation period. RESULTS: In the control group, 2 recipients died of right-sided heart failure caused by severe ischemia-reperfusion injury. All animals of the glycine groups survived the entire observation period. Pulmonary vascular resistance remained significantly (P < .01) lower in both glycine groups when compared with controls. At the end of the observation period pulmonary vascular resistance in the control group was higher (P < .01) compared with the glycine groups (1310 +/- 319 dyn x sec x cm(-5) vs 879 +/- 127 dyn x sec x cm(-5) [LPD-glyc] vs 663 +/- 191 dyn x sec x cm(-5) [IV-glyc]). Changes of lung tissue water content were lower in the IV-glyc group compared with the LPD-control (P < .01) and LPD-glyc lungs (P < .05). Oxygenation (PO2/FiO2) was higher in the IV-glyc group compared with the LPD-glyc and control lungs (445 +/- 110 mm Hg vs 388 +/- 124 mm Hg [P < .01] vs 341 +/- 224 mm Hg [P < .001], respectively). DISCUSSION: Modification of low-potassium dextran solution with glycine or donor preconditioning ameliorates ischemia-reperfusion injury in lung transplantation. This intriguing approach merits further evaluation with respect to the mechanisms involved and may improve results in clinical lung preservation.

Animals↗

Reversal of phencyclidine-induced hyperactivity by glycine and the glycine uptake inhibitor glycyldodecylamide.

Phencyclidine (PCP) induces a psychotic state that closely resembles schizophrenia. In preclinical studies, PCP has been shown to induce its unique behavioral effects by blocking excitatory neurotransmission mediated at the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, suggesting that agents which potentiate NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission might have clinically beneficial effects. The present study demonstrates that the NMDA co-agonist glycine inhibits rodent hyperactivity induced by PCP, but not amphetamine. Glycyldodecylamide, a compound that blocks neuronal glycine uptake and which may therefore increase intrasynaptic glycine levels, inhibits PCP-induced hyperactivity more potently than glycine. These results complement recent clinical studies with glycine and suggest that glycine-uptake inhibitors, as well as glycine, may be beneficial in the treatment of PCP-induced psychosis and schizophrenia.

Amphetamine↗

Zn2+ inhibits glycine transport by glycine transporter subtype 1b.

In the central nervous system, glycine is a co-agonist with glutamate at the N-methyl-D-aspartate subtype of glutamate receptors and also an agonist at inhibitory, strychnine-sensitive glycine receptors. The GLYT1 subtypes of glycine transporters (GLYTs) are responsible for regulation of glycine at excitatory synapses, whereas a combination of GLYT1 and GLYT2 subtypes of glycine transporters are used at inhibitory glycinergic synapses. Zn2+ is stored in synaptic vesicles with glutamate in a number of regions of the brain and is believed to play a role in modulation of excitatory neurotransmission. In this study we have investigated the actions of Zn2+ on the glycine transporters, GLYT1b and GLYT2a, expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and we demonstrate that Zn2+ is a noncompetitive inhibitor of GLYT1 but has no effect on GLYT2. We have also investigated the molecular basis for these differences and the relationship between the Zn2+ and proton binding sites on GLYT1. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we identified 2 histidine residues, His-243 in the large second extracellular loop (ECL2) and His-410 in the fourth extracellular loop (ECL4), as two coordinates in the Zn2+ binding site of GLYT1b. In addition, our study suggests that the molecular determinants of proton regulation of GLYT1b are localized to the 2 histidine residues (His-410 and His-421) of ECL4. The ability of Zn2+ and protons to regulate the rate of glycine transport by interacting with residues situated in ECL4 of GLYT1b suggests that this region may influence the substrate translocation mechanism.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Is glycine "sweet" to mice? Mouse strain differences in perception of glycine taste.

Glycine is an amino acid tasting sweet to humans. In 2-bottle tests, C57BL/6ByJ (B6) mice strongly prefer glycine solutions, whereas 129P3/J (129) mice do not, suggesting that they differ in perception of glycine taste. We examined this question using the conditioned taste aversion (CTA) generalization technique. CTA was achieved by injecting LiCl after drinking glycine, and next its generalization to 10 taste solutions (glycine, sucrose, saccharin, D-tryptophan, L-tryptophan, L-alanine, L-proline, L-glutamine, NaCl, and HCl) was examined by video recording licking behavior. Both B6 and 129 mice generalized the aversion to sucrose, saccharin, L-alanine, and L-proline and did not generalize it to NaCl, HCl, and L-tryptophan. This indicates that both B6 and 129 mice perceive the sweetness (i.e., a sucrose-like taste) of glycine. Thus, the lack of a glycine preference by 129 mice cannot be explained by their inability to perceive its sweetness. Strain differences were observed for CTA generalization to 2 amino acids: 129 mice generalized aversion to L-glutamine but not D-tryptophan, whereas B6 mice generalized it to D-tryptophan but not L-glutamine. 129.B6-Tas1r3 congenic mice with 2 genotypes of the Tas1r3 locus (B6/129 heterozygotes and 129/129 homozygotes) did not differ in aversion generalization, suggesting that the differences between 129 and B6 strains are not attributed to the Tas1r3 allelic variants and that other, yet unknown, genes are involved in taste perception of amino acids.

Animals↗

Interrelationships in rats among dietary vitamin B6, glycine and hydroxyproline. Effects of oxalate, glyoxylate, glycolate, and glycine on liver enzymes.

Urinary endogenous oxalate was increased by feeding vitamin B6-deficient or control rats with 5.2% hydroxyproline, or 3% glycine plus 5.2% hydroxyproline. The activities of liver lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) , malic enzyme (ME), and ATP citrate lyase were decreased in vitamin B6-DEFICIENT RATS, AND THEIR LIVEr G6PD was further decreased by the addition of glycine and hydroxyproline to their diets. Supplementing control diets with the two amino acids decreased the activities of rat liver LDH, G6PD, and ATP citrate lyase. The effects of glycine and hydroxyproline feeding on the enzymes studied did not appear related to alterations in insulin availability. Since in vitamin B6-deficient rats, there are increases in urinary levels of oxalic and glycolic acids, and glycine, and increases in tissue levels of glyoxylic acid and glycine, the effects of these metabolites on the activities of the above mentioned enzymes were measured. Oxalic acid inhibited the activities of LDH, G6PD, and ME. Glyoxylic acid inhibited LDH and ME, but not G6PD. Glycolic acid inhibited G6PD and ME, but not LDH. ATP citrate lyase was not affected by these substances. Glycine had no effect on the enzymes studied. Diets which increased oxalate excretion generally reduced or did not alter liver and kidney levels of oxalate, glycolate, and glyoxylate. However, the feeding of glycine and hydroxyproline increased kidney oxalate, and liver and kidney glyoxylate in vitamin B6-deficient rats.

ATP Citrate (pro-S)-Lyase↗