Click here to close Hello! We notice that you are using Internet Explorer, which is not supported by Xenbase and may cause the site to display incorrectly. We suggest using a current version of Chrome, FireFox, or Safari.
XB-ART-42889
Nat Neurosci 2011 Apr 01;144:505-12. doi: 10.1038/nn.2777.
Show Gene links Show Anatomy links

A neuroprotective role for polyamines in a Xenopus tadpole model of epilepsy.

Bell MR , Belarde JA , Johnson HF , Aizenman CD .


???displayArticle.abstract???
Polyamines are endogenous molecules involved in cell damage following neurological insults, although it is unclear whether polyamines reduce or exacerbate this damage. We used a developmental seizure model in which we exposed Xenopus laevis tadpoles to pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), a known convulsant. We found that, after an initial PTZ exposure, seizure onset times were delayed in response to a second PTZ exposure 4 h later. This protective effect was a result of activity-dependent increases in synthesis of putrescine, the simplest polyamine. Unlike more complex polyamines that directly modulate ion channels, putrescine exerted its effect by altering the balance of excitation to inhibition. Tectal neuron recordings, 4 h after the initial seizure, revealed an elevated frequency of GABAergic spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents. Our data suggest that this effect is mediated by an atypical pathway that converts putrescine into GABA, which then activates presynaptic GABA(B) receptors. Our data suggest that polyamines have a previously unknown neuroprotective role in the developing brain.

???displayArticle.pubmedLink??? 21378970
???displayArticle.link??? Nat Neurosci


GO keywords: GABA-ergic synapse

???displayArticle.disOnts??? epilepsy
References [+] :
Aizenman, Visually driven regulation of intrinsic neuronal excitability improves stimulus detection in vivo. 2003, Pubmed, Xenbase