Abnormal expressions of glutamate transporters and metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 in the spontaneously epileptic rat hippocampus
Authors: Xiao-Yuan Mao
Rui Liu
Jun-Ling Yu
Feng Guo
Kun-Can Wu
Li-Ying Hao
Ni Xie
Da-Yu Tu
Qing-Hua Wang
Ji-Qun Cai
Feng Sun
Journal: Brain Research Bulletin (2010)
Discipline: NEUROSCIENCE & BEHAVIOR
Keywords: glutamatergic neurotransmission; epilepsy; excitatory amino acid transporters; EAATs; metabotropic glutamate receptors
Affiliations: Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Science, China Medical University, Heping District, Shenyang 110001, China.

Abstract:  Excessive glutamatergic neurotransmission is considered an underlying factor of epilepsy. The modulation of the synaptic activity occurs both by the removal of glutamate from the synaptic cleft and by excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) and by modulation of glutamate receptors. The spontaneously epileptic rat (SER), a double mutant (zi/zi, tm/tm), exhibits both tonic convulsions and absence-like seizures from the age of 8 weeks. However, there are no reports that can elucidate the effects of EAATs and metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in SER. The present study was undertaken to detect EAATs (GLAST, GLT-1 and EAAC-1) and Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR1) in SER hippocampus from both the level of mRNA and protein in SERs hippocampus compared with control Wistar rats. In this study, the glutamate concentration in SERs hippocampus was increased compared with that of control rats by high performance liquid chromatography; the mRNA expressions of GLAST and mGluR1 in SERs hippocampus were significantly lower than those in control rats hippocampus, whereas an abundant increase in mRNA for GLT-1 was observed by RT-PCR; EAAC-1 and mGluR1 protein in SERs and control rats were localized widely in the hippocampus including CA1, CA3 and dentate gyrus regions by immunohistochemistry; the number of GLAST and mGluR1-positive cells in the hippocampus of SERs were less than those in control rats, especially for CA3 and DG region; the protein expression of GLT-1 was up-regulated, but the protein expressions of GLAST and mGluR1 were down-regulated in SER hippocampus by western blot. Our data show that epileptogenesis in SER are associated with regulations of glutamate transporters and mGluR1, which might be potential targets for therapy in genetic epilepsy. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Figure 2A and 2B appear to have an image which overlaps, after resizing, rotation, and re-coloring. Difficult to understand how this could occur by accident. *** Enhanced contrast ![file] , 
 Another apparent overlap in Figure 2A and 2B. *** ![file] , 
 And a trifecta, within 2B. Scale bars described as the same. *** ![file] ![file] , 
 Are you sure this is the right paper? When I go to this paper (either via the DOI or its pubmed link) the images in the figures are completely different, labeled differently, nothing like the ones shown here? Is the commenter 100% sure they re not mistakenly posting about a different paper here? , 
 #4 You are absolutely correct. The paper at issue is 10.1016 j.neulet.2010.09.033, not 10.1016 j.brainresbull.2009.10.008. The problem is with the files at ResearchGate, where a file was misidentified. Moderators, if you can remove this thread, that would be helpful. I have posted the correct paper in a new thread: https: pubpeer.com publications E2F40DD7318AA629C1A9C9C970C1C8 My apologies for the oversight, and thank you for your diligence. ,