Amino acid content of guinea pig perilymph collected under conditions of quiet or sound stimulation

High potassium-induced glutamate release in the cochlea: in vivo microdialysis study combined with on-line enzyme fluorometric detection of glutamate

The time course of changes in perilymphatic glutamate release and their Ca2+-dependency were studied in the guinea pig cochlea during high K+-evoked depolarization. The glutamate concentration was analyzed continuously by an enzyme-linked fluorometric assay combined with microdialysis. Two peaks of glutamate increase were found in response to perfusion for 10 min. In the absence of Ca2+, the first peak was diminished, whereas the inhibition of the second peak was minimal.

Immunocytochemical localization of a high-affinity glutamate-aspartate transporter, GLAST, in the rat and guinea-pig cochlea

Glutamate transporters play an important role in the reuptake of glutamate after its release from glutamatergic synapses. Four such transporters have so far been cloned from the rat brain. One, the glutamate-aspartate transporter GLAST, has been detected in the mammalian cochlea, in which the principal afferent synapse of the auditory nerve, between the inner hair cells and neurites of type I spiral ganglion neurons, has been suggested to be glutamatergic. The distribution of GLAST was therefore investigated to provide clues to the handling of glutamate in the cochlea. This was studied using light and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry in rats and guinea pigs with antibodies raised against synthetic peptides based on the sequence for GLAST. Significant immunoreactivity was found in the myelin sheath formed by satellite cells surrounding the type I spiral ganglion neurons, and along the plasma membranes of supporting cells around the inner hair cells; other cells in both locations were only weakly labelled, if at all. The absence of substantial numbers of synapses in the spiral ganglion suggests that GLAST is unlikely to be associated with the uptake of synaptic glutamate after release in this region. Immunoreactivity associated with the inner hair cells is consistent with the utilization of glutamate at the afferent synapse.

Identification of a glutamate/aspartate transporter in the rat cochlea

The neurotransmitter at the synapses between hair cells and spiral ganglion cells in the cochlea is probably L-glutamate or a similar excitatory amino acid. Glutamate uptake by nerve terminals and glial cells is an important component of neurotransmission at glutamatergic synapses of the central nervous system, for providing a reservoir of transmitter or transmitter precursors and the termination of the released glutamate. Hair cell synapses are not surrounded by glial cells, therefore, the uptake mechanism for glutamate in the cochlea may be unique. cDNA was synthesized from total RNA isolated separately from the rat organ of Corti, spiral ganglia, and lateral wall tissues. The expression of a glutamate/aspartate transporter (GLAST) was detected by DNA amplification with the polymerase chain reaction. The other two members of glutamate transporters in this family were not detected by this method. A partial cDNA encoding to GLAST was identified by sequence analysis in a rat cochlear cDNA library. Data concerning the expression and the molecular structure of the glutamate transporter GLAST in the cochlea may provide important information regarding the neurotransmission process at the hair cell-afferent synapses.

Intense sound increases the level of an unidentified amine found in perilymph

The hypothesis tested was that intense sound increases the levels of a substance such as glutamate, a putative neurotransmitter and neurotoxic substance, in the perilymph compartment of the cochlea. Artificial perilymph was perfused through the perilymphatic compartment of the guinea pig cochlea and the effluent collected during successive 10-min periods. The effects of perfusing an artificial perilymph containing normal levels of Na+ (NARP) were compared to the effects of perfusing an artificial perilymph containing very low concentrations of Na+ (VLNa). The effluent was collected during ambient noise and during increasing intensities of broad-band noise (10 min at 106, 112, 118 and 124 dB SPL). Levels of amines in the effluent were measured by HPLC utilizing precolumn o-phthalaldehyde (OPA) derivatization and fluorescence detection. VLNa increased the levels of glutamate and several other amines in effluent from the cochlea compared to levels obtained in NARP. Compared with its level during ambient room noise, the concentration of an unidentified amine labeled Unk 2.5 increased during intense noise (124 dB SPL). Intense noise induced no detectable changes in the concentrations of glutamate and fifteen other amines. The chemical identity and role of Unk 2.5 remain to be determined.

Changing cation levels (Mg2+, Ca2+, Na+) alters the release of glutamate, GABA and other substances from the guinea pig cochlea

We examined the effects of changes in cation levels (increased Mg2+ concentration combined with low Ca2+ concentration, and two low concentrations of Na+) on the perilymph levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate (Glu), aspartate (Asp) and other substances. Artificial perilymph solutions containing normal (5 mM) and high (50 mM) levels of K+ were perfused through the perilymphatic compartment of the guinea pig cochlea to examine basal release (5 mM K+) and depolarization-induced release (50 mM K+). Each of the two K+ concentrations were contained in four different solutions: [I] normal artificial perilymph (NARP; NaCl, 137 mM; CaCl2, 2 mM; MgCl2, 1 mM;); [II] high Mg2+ (20 mM)/low Ca2+ (0.1 mM) (HMgLCa); [III] low Na+ (117 mM; LNa), and [IV] very low Na+ (NaCl, 0 mM; VLNa). The effluent was collected and assayed for eighteen primary amines by HPLC. Compared with NARP, the HMgLCa group had an increase in the high K(+)-induced release of Asp and Glu with no change in GABA. VLNa increased the normal K+ levels of Asp, Glu and GABA up to those observed with high K+ in NARP. VLNa increased the high K+ levels of Asp and Glu over fivefold compared with the high K+ levels in NARP, but decreased GABA. We ascribe the results to an interference with either a Na(+)-dependent uptake processes or a Na+/Ca2+ exchange carrier.

Potassium induced release of GABA and other substances from the guinea pig cochlea

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been proposed as a neurotransmitter of a subset of efferent nerve fibers in the mammalian cochlea. We tested this hypothesis by examining if GABA was released by high concentrations of K+ from the guinea pig cochlea. Artificial perilymph solutions containing either normal K+ (5 mM) or high K+ (50 mM) were perfused through the perilymphatic compartment of the guinea pig cochlea while collecting the effluent. Nineteen primary amines including GABA were quantified in the effluent by HPLC. This was carried out in normal animals and in animals pretreated with ethacrynic acid and kanamycin to destroy the organ of Corti. Significantly greater levels of GABA, taurine, glutamate, aspartate, glycine and three unidentified substances appeared in effluent collected during exposure of the cochlea to solutions containing higher K+ than normal K+. Compared to normal animals, destruction of the organ of Corti significantly decreased the K(+)-induced release of GABA, taurine, glutamate, aspartate, glycine and one of the unidentified substances; although significant release of glutamate and taurine still occurred in the destroyed ears. The release of GABA is consistent with it being a neurotransmitter in the cochlea. In addition the results: confirm the release of glutamate and taurine from the organ of Corti; suggest that additional substances may be released; and demonstrate the release of glutamate and taurine from tissue other than the organ of Corti.

Effects of L-glutamate on auditory afferent activity in view of its proposed excitatory transmitter role in the mammalian cochlea

This report describes the effects of L-glutamate (Glu) introduced into the perilymph of scala tympani on the spontaneous and tone-evoked activity of guinea pig single primary auditory afferents. Concentrations below 2 mmol/l were in general ineffective, while a concentration of 5 mmol/l caused a marked decrease of the neural activity. At 2 mmol/l, roughly 60% of the Glu-perfusions were effective and produced a variety of changes. The most prominent effect was a reduction of the tone-evoked activity without a change in spontaneous rate. Indeed, in some cells, the tone-evoked activity could be almost totally abolished without affecting the spontaneous activity. More rarely observed was a moderate, generally transient increase of the spontaneous activity which was occasionally followed by a decrease in both tone-evoked and spontaneous firing rate. The increase in firing rate was always small relative to the maximum discharge rate evoked by tone stimuli. Desensitization of the Glu-evoked response without an obvious change in the spontaneous activity was also found. In a few cells Glu caused a reduction of the discharge rate below the spontaneous firing rate during loud tone presentation. Higher Glu doses generally caused a reduction of spontaneous and tone-evoked activity without any sign of a preceding increase. Thus, the effects of Glu in the mammalian cochlea appear to be complex and on balance seem inconsistent with the effects predicted for an excitatory transmitter. The findings argue against the hypothesis that Glu is the afferent transmitter released by inner hair-cells. However, the results do not exclude an involvement of Glu as a neuromodulator or co-transmitter.

Immunocytochemical localization of glutamate immunoreactivity in the guinea pig cochlea

The localization of glutamate immunoreactivity was examined in the guinea pig cochlea using affinity purified polyclonal antibodies to glutamate and immunoperoxidase post-embedding staining techniques on one micron plastic sections. Glutamate immunoreactive staining was seen in both inner and outer hair cells and in spiral ganglion cells and auditory nerve fibers. These results support the hypothesis that glutamate may function as the hair cell transmitter or as a precursor to the transmitter and add further support for an excitatory amino acid as the transmitter of the auditory nerve.

Potassium-evoked release of endogenous primary amine-containing compounds from the trout saccular macula and saccular nerve in vitro

An in vitro preparation of the trout saccular macula, containing a large number of hair cells, served as a potential source of neurotransmitter(s) released at the acousticolateralis hair cell-afferent nerve synapse. An in vitro preparation of the saccular nerve, maintained in parallel, served to indicate the potential neural contribution to overall release from the macula. Efflux of 27 primary amine-containing compounds from the macula and nerve fractions was monitored by cation-exchange HPLC with fluorescence detection, and release by 53.5 mM potassium was determined at 1.45 mM calcium, 0.35 mM magnesium or 0 mM calcium, 10.1 mM magnesium. Taurine was released from the saccular macula in the greatest amount, accounting for 72% of the total evoked release of primary amine-containing compounds. Its release was calcium dependent and its time course prolonged. The contribution by myelinated nerve and associated Schwann cells within the macula to overall release of taurine from the macula in the presence of calcium, as determined from the saccular nerve preparation, was only 2%. Other components specifically released from the macula included ethanolamine, phosphoserine, beta-alanine, and glycine. Glutamate and aspartate were released from both the macula and saccular nerve fractions by potassium in the presence of calcium and in a ratio of 6:1 (glutamate:aspartate) for the macula and 7.5:1 for the nerve. The release of aspartate, but not that of glutamate, was lowered in saline containing 0 mM calcium, 10.1 mM magnesium. The calculated contribution from neural elements to overall release from the macula was 10% for aspartate and 18% for glutamate. These studies demonstrate that both the macula and saccular nerve fractions release the 'excitatory neurotransmitter' candidates aspartate and glutamate. Calcium-dependent, potassium-evoked release of taurine appears to be specific to the hair cell-supporting cell population of the saccular macula, and taurine may, therefore, be involved directly or indirectly in hair cell neurotransmission in labyrinthine organs. This study represents the first detailed biochemical characterization of efflux and release for an in vitro hair cell system of relatively high purity with respect to hair cells.

Neurotransmission in the inner ear

The present view on cochlear neurotransmission can be summarized as follows: There are two main types of synapses on cochlear hair cells, afferent and efferent ones. Afferent synaptic structures are abundant on inner hair cells whereas similar structures on the outer hair cells are less frequent and appear to be rudimentary. Presynaptic vesicles seem to be rare in outer hair cells. For the inner hair cell--afferent terminal--the presence of a chemical transmission mechanism is generally accepted. The transmitter substance has not yet been unequivocally demonstrated. Glycine, catecholamines, GABA and 5-HT can be eliminated as candidates as these compounds do not activate afferent fibres. There are good reasons, however, to consider amino acids. Most of the experimental results support glutamate as the transmitter (e.g. effectiveness of glutamate, kainic acid, glutamate diethylester). Aspartate is less likely. It is not yet well understood, however, why glutamate has to be applied in concentrations of up to 10(-3) M intracochlearly in order to activate afferent fibres and why elevated glutamate levels could not be demonstrated in perilymph collected during acoustical stimulation, whereas this same perilymph was able to activate afferent nerve terminals when applied intracochlearly. Efferent endings use acetylcholine as a transmitter. Enzymes for synthesis and breakdown of acetylcholine are present; acetylcholine is effective at the synaptic junction, as are cholinergic compounds and specific blockers. However, there may be different types of efferent endings in both the cochlear and vestibular organs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of L-aspartate and oxaloacetic acid on click-evoked cochlear potentials

The scala tympani of the guinea pig was perfused with artificial perilymph and experimental solutions using an electrical micropump. In test perfusions, 20 mM L-aspartate produced depression of APN1 by 49% and 25 mM L-aspartate decreased the amplitude of APN1 by 42%. Both 20 mM and 25 mM L-aspartate were without effect on the CM, the latency or width of APN1. Perfusions with 10 mM oxaloacetic acid were without effect on the APN1 and CM. In our previous experiments, 5 mM L-aspartate had no effect on APN1 and CM, but 10 mM L-aspartate or 15 mM L-aspartate introduced into the scala tympani reversibly increased the amplitude of APN1 and CM. It is concluded that L-aspartate may have a modulating influence on signal transmission of afferent synapses in the cochlea.

Potassium-induced release of endogenous amino acids in the guinea pig cochlea

Guinea pig cochleae were perfused with high-potassium solutions to depolarize hair cells artificially and induce the release of afferent neurotransmitter. Sequential injections of artificial perilymph containing 5 mM KCl, then 50 mM KCl, and finally 5 mM KCl were made into the scala tympani. This injection sequence was conducted under either normal divalent-cation conditions (2.0 mM CaCl2, 1.0 mM MgCl2) or calcium-deficient conditions intended to antagonize evoked transmitter release (0.1 mM CaCl2, 20.0 mM MgCl2). The levels of 21 endogenous primary amines in effluent collected from the scala vestibuli were determined by gradient-elution, reverse-phase HPLC using o-phthaldialdehyde-thiol adducts with fluorescence detection. Analyses indicated effluent concentrations of glutamate, taurine, and a coeluting taurine-gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA) fraction (but not GABA alone) increased significantly after exposure to 50 mM KC1 and returned to baseline levels after reintroduction of 5 mM KC1 under normal divalent-cation conditions. Correspondent changes in the release of these constituents were significantly attenuated under calcium-deficient conditions. This was not the case for potassium-induced changes in the release of arginine, aspartate, and isoleucine. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the receptoneuronal transmitter is glutamate and further suggest a calcium-dependent mechanism involving taurine.

On sources of error in the biochemical study of perilymph (guinea-pig)

Contamination of perilymph with other fluids (cerebrospinal fluid, tissue fluid, blood, endolymph) together with sampling, anaesthesia, surgical intervention or food intake of the animals may considerably affect the analytical result. The numerous possible artefacts seem to be the main reason why varying values are given in the literature for the same chemical component of perilymph. This is also partly true of cerebrospinal fluid and blood. The effect of some sources of error on selected chemical components of perilymph, cerebrospinal fluid and blood is briefly summarized.

Effect of sound stimulation at several levels on concentrations of primary amines, including neurotransmitter candidates, in perilymph of the guinea pig inner ear

Perilymph, which bathes the sensory cells of the cochlea, was collected from guinea pigs exposed to noise and analyzed via two cation-exchange HPLC procedures with fluorescence detection, resolving 51 and 81 primary-amine compounds, respectively, at a sensitivity limit of 0.1 pmol relative to leucine. During a first period, each animal was either exposed to noise at 80, 90, or 115 decibels sound-pressure level or maintained in silence (controls), and during a second period, the same animal was maintained in silence. Perilymph was collected during both periods, and perilymphatic components were compared, within animals and across animals, for several levels of sound stimulation. A gamma-aminobutyric acid-like component was elevated in the first period in proportion to stimulus intensity by the various methods of comparison, suggesting an auditory-neurotransmitter role for this component. Aspartic acid was elevated in the second period, 2-3.5 h after onset of sound stimulation, compatible with the release of aspartic acid from central auditory synapses. In addition, a methionine-enkephalin-like component, distinct from leucine-enkephalin, was detected in perilymph from control animals and was elevated in response to noise at 115 decibels. Regression coefficients, determined for the relation between sound intensity and first-period concentrations or the difference between first and second-period concentrations, indicated zero linear regression at p = 0.05 for glutamic acid, aspartic acid, glycine, taurine, and 39 other perilymphatic components, consistent with the hypothesis that these compounds are unlikely to be peripheral auditory neurotransmitters.