Abstract
1. Glutamate and other amino acids are the main excitatory neurotransmitters in many brain regions, including the hippocampus, by activating ion channel-coupled glutamate receptors, as well as metabotropic receptors linked to G proteins and second messenger systems. Several conditions which promote the release of glutamate, like frequency stimulation and hypoxia, also lead to an increase in the extracellular levels of the important neuromodulator, adenosine. We studied whether the activation of different subgroups of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR) could modify the known inhibitory effects of a selective adenosine A1 receptor agonist on synaptic transmission in the hippocampus. The experiments were performed on hippocampal slices taken from young (12-14 days old) rats. Stimulation was delivered to the Schaffer collateral/commissural fibres, and evoked field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fe. p.s.p.) recorded extracellularly from the stratum radiatum in the CAI area. 2. The concentration-response curve for the inhibitory effects of the selective adenosine A1 receptor agonist, N6-cyclopentyladenosine (CPA; 2-50 nM), on the fe.p.s.p. slope (EC50 = 12.5 (9.2-17.3; 95% confidence intervals)) was displaced to the right by the group I mGluR selective agonist, (R,S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DPHG; 10 microM) (EC50 = 27.2 (21.4-34.5) nM, n = 4). The attenuation of the inhibitory effect of CPA (10 nM) on the fe.p.s.p. slope by DHPG (10 microM) was blocked in the presence of the mGluR antagonist (which blocks group I and II mGluR), (R,S)-alpha-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine (MCPG; 500 microM). DHPG (10 microM) itself had an inhibitory effect of 20.1 +/- 1.9% (n = 4) on the fe.p.s.p. slope. 3. The concentration-response curves for the inhibitory effects of CPA (2-20 nM) on the fe.p.s.p. slope were not modified either in the presence of the group II mGluR selective agonist, (2S,3S,4S)-alpha-(carboxycyclopropyl)glycine (L-CCG-I; 1 microM), or in the presence of the non-selective mGluR agonist (which activates both group I and II mGluR), (IS,3R)-1-aminocyclopentyl-1,3-dicarboxylate (ACPD; 100 microM). L-CCG-I had no consistent effects and ACPD (100 microM) decreased by 19.4 +/- 1.8% (n = 4) the fe.p.s.p. slope. 4. The concentration-response curve for the inhibitory effects of CPA (2-100 nM) on the fe.p.s.p. slope (EC50 = 8.2 (6.9-9.6) nM) was displaced to the right by the group III mGluR selective agonist, L-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate (L-AP4; 25 microM) (EC50 = 17.7 (13.1-21.9) nM, n = 4). The attenuation of the inhibitory effect of CPA (10 nM) on the fe.p.s.p. slope by L-AP4 (25 microM) was blocked in the presence of the mGluR antagonist (selective for the group III mGluR), (R,S)-alpha-methyl-4-phosphonophenylglycine (MPPG; 200 microM). 5. Both the direct effect of DHPG on synaptic transmission and the attenuation of the inhibitory effect of CPA (10 nM) were prevented in the presence of the protein kinase C selective inhibitors, staurosporine (1 microM) or chelerythrine (5 microM), and thus attributed to activation of protein kinase C. 6. The attenuation by L-AP4 (25 microM) of the inhibitory effect of CPA (10 nM) on the fe.p.s.p. slope was also prevented by the protein kinase C selective inhibitors, staurosporine (1 microM) or chelerythrine (5 microM), and thus attributed to activation of protein kinase C. But this effect seemed to be distinct from the direct effect of L-AP4 (25 microM) on synaptic transmission, which was not modified by the protein kinase C selective inhibitors. 7. We conclude that agonists of metabotropic glutamate receptors (Groups I and III) are able to attenuate the inhibitory effects of adenosine A1 receptor activation in the hippocampus. This interaction may have pathophysiological relevance in hypoxia, in which there is marked release of both excitatory amino acids and the important endogenous neuroprotective substance, adenosine.