Preconditioned resistance to oxygen–glucose deprivation-induced cortical neuronal death: alterations in vesicular GABA and glutamate release

Abstract Central neurons exposed to several types of sublethal stress, including ischemia, acquire resistance to injury induced by subsequent ischemic insults, a phenomenon called ischemic preconditioning. We modeled this phenomenon in vitro , utilizing exposure to 45 mM KCl to reduce the vulnerability of cultured murine cortical neurons to subsequent oxygen–glucose deprivation. Twenty-four hours after preconditioning, cultures exhibited enhanced depolarization-induced, tetanus toxin-sensitive GABA release and a modest decrease in glutamate release. Total cellular GABA levels were unaltered. Inhibition of GABA degradation with the GABA transaminase inhibitor (±)-γ-vinyl GABA, or addition of low levels of GABA, muscimol, or chlormethiazole to the bathing medium, mimicked the neuroprotective effect of preconditioning against oxygen–glucose deprivation-induced death. However, neuronal death was enhanced by higher levels of these manipulations, as well as by prior selective destruction of GABAergic neurons by kainate. Finally, selective blockade of GABA A receptors during oxygen–glucose deprivation or removal of GABAergic neurons eliminated the neuroprotective effects of prior preconditioning. Taken together, these data predict that presynaptic alterations, specifically enhanced GABA release together with reduced glutamate release, may be important mediators of ischemic preconditioning, but suggest caution in regard to interventions aimed at increasing GABA A receptor activation.