Modifications of glial metabolism of glutamate after serotonergic neuron degeneration in the hippocampus of the rat.

We have investigated the role of serotonergic neurons on the astrocytes catabolism of glutamate by analyzing glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) expression in the hippocampus after the degeneration of serotonergic neurons by a specific neurotoxin (5,7-DHT). 5,7-DHT caused reactive gliosis with hypertrophy (increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression) but not proliferation of astrocytes. Glutamate metabolism appeared preferentially regulated by a control of GDH expression rather than GS since the expression of GDH was specifically and significantly induced in the hippocampus whereas the level of GS remained unchanged. The inhibition of serotonin synthesis (by para-chlorophenylalanine (p-CPA) administration) produced no significant increase of GDH level. This suggests that serotonin is not the principal factor involved in this control of GDH expression.