Authors
Kaneda K. Kikuchi M. Kashii S. Honda Y. Maeda T. Kaneko S. Akaike A.
Institution
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto
University, Japan.
Title
Effects of B vitamins on
glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in retinal cultures.
Source
European Journal of Pharmacology. 322(2-3):259-64, 1997 Mar 19.
Abstract
The effects of B vitamins on
glutamate-induced neurotoxicity were examined using primary
cultures obtained from the rat retina. Cell viability was markedly reduced by
a brief exposure to glutamate followed by incubation with glutamate-free
media for 1 h. Glutamate cytotoxicity was reduced in the cultures that had
been maintained in thiamine-, pyridoxine- or nicotinamide-containing medium
before the exposure to glutamate. Glutamate cytotoxicity was also reduced by
chronic application of thiamine pyrophosphate and pyridoxal phosphate, which
are active coenzyme forms of thiamine and pyridoxine, respectively. By
contrast, chronic application of riboflavin, pantothenate, biotin, folic acid
and inositol did not affect glutamate cytotoxicity. None of the B
vitamins tested had any effect on glutamate cytotoxicity
when added only during the exposure to glutamate. These findings suggest that
chronically applied thiamine, pyridoxine and nicotinamide protect retinal
neurons against glutamate cytotoxicity.