Improvement of the viability of cultured rat neurons by the non-essential amino acids L-serine and glycine that upregulates expression of the anti-apoptotic gene product Bcl-w

Neurosci Lett. 2000 Dec 8;295(3):97-100. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3940(00)01597-4.

Abstract

The non-essential amino acids L-serine (Ser) and glycine (Gly) have recently been shown to exhibit specific actions in the nervous system. In the present study, L-Ser and Gly promoted the survival of cultured rat cerebrocortical neurons in a concentration-dependent manner as revealed by Alamar blue assay and microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP2) immunoblotting. The maximum effects of the amino acids were detected at the concentrations of 30-100 microM. L-Ser was more effective than Gly. D-Ser failed to promote neuronal survival. L-Ser and Gly upregulated expression of the anti-apoptotic gene product Bcl-w, while they did not affect the expression of Bcl-xL. The promotion of neuronal survival by L-Ser and Gly may be, at least in part, attributable to the upregulated Bcl-w.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Cell Survival / drug effects*
  • Cell Survival / physiology
  • Cells, Cultured / cytology
  • Cells, Cultured / drug effects*
  • Cells, Cultured / metabolism
  • Cerebral Cortex / cytology
  • Cerebral Cortex / drug effects
  • Cerebral Cortex / metabolism
  • Coloring Agents
  • Fetus
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation / physiology
  • Glycine / metabolism
  • Glycine / pharmacology*
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / drug effects
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / metabolism
  • Nerve Degeneration / metabolism
  • Nerve Degeneration / physiopathology
  • Nerve Degeneration / prevention & control
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Neurons / drug effects*
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Oxazines*
  • Proteins / drug effects*
  • Proteins / genetics
  • Proteins / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / drug effects
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Serine / metabolism
  • Serine / pharmacology*
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects
  • Up-Regulation / physiology
  • Xanthenes*
  • bcl-X Protein

Substances

  • Bcl2l1 protein, rat
  • Bcl2l2 protein, rat
  • Coloring Agents
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • Oxazines
  • Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Xanthenes
  • bcl-X Protein
  • resazurin
  • Serine
  • Glycine