Ji T, Pang Y, Cheng M, Wang R, Chen X, Zhang C, Liu M, Zhang J, Zhong C. Deletion of glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII), but not GCPIII, provided long-term benefits in mice with traumatic brain injury.
CNS Neurosci Ther 2023;
29:3786-3801. [PMID:
37349952 PMCID:
PMC10651966 DOI:
10.1111/cns.14299]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
MAIN PROBLEM
N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) has neuroprotective effects in traumatic brain injury (TBI) by activating metabotropic glutamate receptor 3 (mGluR3) and reducing glutamate release. Glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) is the primary enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of NAAG. It remains unclear whether glutamate carboxypeptidase III (GCPIII), a homolog of GCPII, can partially compensate for GCPII's function.
METHODS
GCPII-/- , GCPIII-/- , and GCPII/III-/- mice were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Mice brain injury model was established through moderate controlled cortical impact (CCI). The relationship between GCPII and GCPIII was explored by analyzing injury response signals in the hippocampus and cortex of mice with different genotypes at the acute (1 day) and subacute (7 day) phase after TBI.
RESULTS
In this study, we found that deletion of GCPII reduced glutamate production, excitotoxicity, and neuronal damage and improved cognitive function, but GCPIII deletion had no significant neuroprotective effect. Additionally, there was no significant difference in the neuroprotective effect between the combination of GCPII and GCPIII deletion and GCPII deletion alone.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that GCPII inhibition may be a therapeutic option for TBI, and that GCPIII may not act as a complementary enzyme to GCPII in this context.
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