Glutathione restores the mechanism of synaptic plasticity in aged mice to that of the adult.
Glutathione (GSH), the major endogenous antioxidant produced by cells, can modulate the activity of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) through its reducing functions. During aging, an increase in oxidative stress leads to decreased levels of GSH in the brain. Concurrently, aging is characterize...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2011-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3105108?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818777289555443712 |
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| author | Julie M Robillard Grant R Gordon Hyun B Choi Brian R Christie Brian A MacVicar |
| author_facet | Julie M Robillard Grant R Gordon Hyun B Choi Brian R Christie Brian A MacVicar |
| author_sort | Julie M Robillard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Glutathione (GSH), the major endogenous antioxidant produced by cells, can modulate the activity of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) through its reducing functions. During aging, an increase in oxidative stress leads to decreased levels of GSH in the brain. Concurrently, aging is characterized by calcium dysregulation, thought to underlie impairments in hippocampal NMDAR-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP), a form of synaptic plasticity thought to represent a cellular model for memory. Here we show that orally supplementing aged mice with N-acetylcysteine, a precursor for the formation of glutathione, reverses the L-type calcium channel-dependent LTP seen in aged animals to NMDAR-dependent LTP. In addition, introducing glutathione in the intrapipette solution during whole-cell recordings restores LTP obtained in whole-cell conditions in the aged hippocampus. We conclude that aging leads to a reduced redox potential in hippocampal neurons, triggering impairments in LTP. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T11:26:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7c5976453e694002a1fce672853fd551 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T11:26:28Z |
| publishDate | 2011-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-7c5976453e694002a1fce672853fd5512022-12-21T21:09:41ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032011-01-0165e2067610.1371/journal.pone.0020676Glutathione restores the mechanism of synaptic plasticity in aged mice to that of the adult.Julie M RobillardGrant R GordonHyun B ChoiBrian R ChristieBrian A MacVicarGlutathione (GSH), the major endogenous antioxidant produced by cells, can modulate the activity of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) through its reducing functions. During aging, an increase in oxidative stress leads to decreased levels of GSH in the brain. Concurrently, aging is characterized by calcium dysregulation, thought to underlie impairments in hippocampal NMDAR-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP), a form of synaptic plasticity thought to represent a cellular model for memory. Here we show that orally supplementing aged mice with N-acetylcysteine, a precursor for the formation of glutathione, reverses the L-type calcium channel-dependent LTP seen in aged animals to NMDAR-dependent LTP. In addition, introducing glutathione in the intrapipette solution during whole-cell recordings restores LTP obtained in whole-cell conditions in the aged hippocampus. We conclude that aging leads to a reduced redox potential in hippocampal neurons, triggering impairments in LTP.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3105108?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Julie M Robillard Grant R Gordon Hyun B Choi Brian R Christie Brian A MacVicar Glutathione restores the mechanism of synaptic plasticity in aged mice to that of the adult. PLoS ONE |
| title | Glutathione restores the mechanism of synaptic plasticity in aged mice to that of the adult. |
| title_full | Glutathione restores the mechanism of synaptic plasticity in aged mice to that of the adult. |
| title_fullStr | Glutathione restores the mechanism of synaptic plasticity in aged mice to that of the adult. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Glutathione restores the mechanism of synaptic plasticity in aged mice to that of the adult. |
| title_short | Glutathione restores the mechanism of synaptic plasticity in aged mice to that of the adult. |
| title_sort | glutathione restores the mechanism of synaptic plasticity in aged mice to that of the adult |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3105108?pdf=render |
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