Glutamate blocks astroglial stellation: Effect of glutamate uptake and volume changes

Abstract

Neurotransmitters which increase intracellular cAMP levels can cause cultured astroglia to change from a flat, polygonal shape to a stellate morphology. Little is known about how glial stellation can be regulated by other transmitters. In the present study, we demonstrated that L‐glutamate blocked isoproterenol (ISO) or dibutyryl‐cAMP induced stellation in astroglia. The glutamate inhibition was concentration dependent, with its maximal effect on >90% of cells at 500 μM. Glutamate also reversed glial stellation within a short period (+ to 50 mM also reduced glial stellation, whereas 25 mM K⁺ had little effect. Since 25 mM K⁺ caused much greater depolarization than 400 μM glutamate, it was unlikely that the effects of both glutamate and high [K⁺] on glial stellation were due to membrane depolarization. Hypotonic treatment (120 mOsm) enhanced, whereas hypertonic treatment (520 mOsm) prevented, the glutamate reversal of glial stellation. Thus, glial swelling appeared to be a primary mechanism for the inhibitory effect of glutamate and high [K⁺] on glial stellation. This mechanism could also explain the observation that glutamate inhibited stellation induced by PMA, a PKC activator. Our data suggest that glutamate released from neurons during neuronal activity or pathology can be taken up by astrocytes and alter their morphology. Changes in glial morphology may in turn affect the volume and composition of the extracellular space and, as a result, neuronal activity.