Modulation of glutamate neurotoxicity in the transformed cell culture by monoamine oxidase inhibitors, clorgyline and deprenyl.

Addition of 30mM glutamate to the culture medium decreased growth of rat glioma C6 cells accompanied by a decrease of DNA synthesis and an increase of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) detected in the conditioned medium. The presence of 1 microM deprenyl attenuated the glutamate effect on cell growth only during the first 24-48 h incubation and had a minor influence on the glutamate-induced decrease of DNA synthesis. Clorgyline (1 microM) potentiated glutamate-induced DNA synthesis during the first 24 h incubation without significant influence on the cell growth. Deprenyl slightly attenuated the glutamate-induced LDH increase during 24 h incubation but potentiated the glutamate effect at 96 h. Clorgyline decreased the glutamate influence at 24 h and especially 96 h. All these effects were observed in the absence of exogenous monoamines in the culture medium. These results suggest that in transformed cells monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors may influence processes of cell death via MAO-independent mechanisms.