Reduction in Phencyclidine Induced Sensorimotor Gating Deficits in the Rat Following Increased System Xc − Activity in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex

Authors

• Victoria Lutgen, Marquette University
• Krista Qualmann
• Jon M. Resch, Marquette UniversityFollow
• Linghai KongFollow
• Sujean Choi, Marquette UniversityFollow
• David A. Baker, Marquette UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Format of Original

10 p.

Publication Date

4-2013

Publisher

Springer

Source Publication

Psychopharmacology

Source ISSN

0033-3158

Original Item ID

DOI: 10.1007/s00213-012-2926-3

Abstract

Rationale: Aspects of schizophrenia, including deficits in sensorimotor gating, have been linked to glutamate dysfunction and/or oxidative stress in the prefrontal cortex. System x_c ⁻, a cystine–glutamate antiporter, is a poorly understood mechanism that contributes to both cellular antioxidant capacity and glutamate homeostasis.

Objectives: Our goal was to determine whether increased system x_c ⁻ activity within the prefrontal cortex would normalize a rodent measure of sensorimotor gating.

Methods: In situ hybridization was used to map messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of xCT, the active subunit of system x_c ⁻, in the prefrontal cortex. Prepulse inhibition was used to measure sensorimotor gating; deficits in prepulse inhibition were produced using phencyclidine (0.3–3 mg/kg, sc). N-Acetylcysteine (10–100 μM) and the system x_c ⁻ inhibitor (S)-4-carboxyphenylglycine (CPG, 0.5 μM) were used to increase and decrease system x_c ⁻ activity, respectively. The uptake of ¹⁴C-cystine into tissue punches obtained from the prefrontal cortex was used to assay system x_c ⁻ activity.

Results: The expression of xCT mRNA in the prefrontal cortex was most prominent in a lateral band spanning primarily the prelimbic cortex. Although phencyclidine did not alter the uptake of ¹⁴C-cystine in prefrontal cortical tissue punches, intraprefrontal cortical infusion of N-acetylcysteine (10–100 μM) significantly reduced phencyclidine- (1.5 mg/kg, sc) induced deficits in prepulse inhibition. N-Acetylcysteine was without effect when coinfused with CPG (0.5 μM), indicating an involvement of system x_c ⁻.

Conclusions: These results indicate that phencyclidine disrupts sensorimotor gating through system x_c ⁻ independent mechanisms, but that increasing cystine–glutamate exchange in the prefrontal cortex is sufficient to reduce behavioral deficits produced by phencyclidine.

Comments

Accepted version. Psychopharmacology, Vol. 226, No. 3 (April 2013): 531-540. DOI. © 2013 Springer. Used with permission.

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Recommended Citation

Lutgen, Victoria; Qualmann, Krista; Resch, Jon M.; Kong, Linghai; Choi, Sujean; and Baker, David A., "Reduction in Phencyclidine Induced Sensorimotor Gating Deficits in the Rat Following Increased System Xc − Activity in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex" (2013). Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications. 23.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/biomedsci_fac/23