Kynurenic acid antagonizes hippocampal quinolinic acid neurotoxicity: behavioral and histological evaluation |
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Authors: | D Lekieffre M Plotkine M Allix R G Boulu |
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Affiliation: | Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Faculté des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, Université René Descartes, Paris, France. |
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Abstract: | In the present study, we evaluate the ability of kynurenic acid to protect hippocampal neurons from the neurotoxicity of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) agonist quinolinic acid. Bilateral intrahippocampal injection of quinolinic acid (120 nmol) led to severe behavioral disturbances and total loss of hippocampal neurons. Intrahippocampal co-injection of kynurenic acid (360 nmol) completely prevented cell loss and behavioral disturbances. However, the protection was incomplete when kynurenic acid was intraperitoneally injected (500 mg/kg, repeated during 4 days). These above results indicate that kynurenic acid can antagonize the neuronal degeneration mediated by excessive stimulation of NMDA receptors in vivo. |
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