The oxidative action of quinolinic acid (QUIN), and the protective effects
of glutathione (GSH), and 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV), were teste
d in rat brain synaptosomes, Reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation was qu
antified after the exposure of synaptosomes to increasing concentrations of
QUIN (25-500 muM) The potency of QUIN to induce lipid peroxidation (LP) wa
s tested as a regional index of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TB
ARS) production, and the antioxidant actions of both GSH (50 muM) and APV (
250 muM) on QUIN-induced LP were evaluated in synaptosomes prepared from di
fferent brain regions. QUIN induced concentration-dependent increases in RO
S formation and TBARS in all regions analyzed, but increased production of
fluorescent peroxidized lipids only in the striatum and the hippocampus, wh
ereas both GSH and APV decreased this index. These results suggest that the
excitotoxic action of QUIN involves regional selectivity in the oxidative
status of brain synaptosomes, and may be prevented by substances exhibiting
antagonism at the NMDA receptor. NeuroReport 12:871-874 (C) 2001 Lippincot
t Williams & Wilkins.