Enzymes and glial cells in brain damage and neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases may also involve damage to glial cells. An apparent glial cell involvement in the neurotoxicity of kainate is, for example, demonstrated by the protection afforded by D,L-a-aminoadipate at concentrations where it selectively affects glial cells. Immunological determination of the serum levels of creatine kinase-BB can be used to monitor astrocyte damage following head injury and may also be of value in degenerative conditions. The recessive adult-onset form of olivopontocerebellar atrophy has been reported to involve a deficiency of a specific membrane-bound isoenzyme of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). However attempts to distinguish this enzyme from the well-studied mitochondrial GDH using polyclonal antibodies were unsuccessful.