Expression of the human isoform of glutamate dehydrogenase, hGDH2, augments TCA cycle capacity and oxidative metabolism of glutamate during glucose deprivation in astrocytes. Issue 3 (29th December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nissen, Jakob D.; Lykke, Kasper; Bryk, Jaroslaw; Stridh, Malin H.; Zaganas, Ioannis; Skytt, Dorte M.; Schousboe, Arne; Bak, Lasse K.; Enard, Wolfgang; Pääbo, Svante; Waagepetersen, Helle S.
• Is Part Of: Glia. Volume 65:Issue 3(2017)
• Page Start: 474
• Page End: 488
• Publication Date: 2016-12-29
• Subjects: anaplerosis -- isotopic labeling -- amino acid -- hypoglycemic -- brain; Neuroglia -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; 611.0188
• DOI: 10.1002/glia.23105
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0894-1491

Abstract

Abstract : A key enzyme in brain glutamate homeostasis is glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) which links carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism mediating glutamate degradation to CO2 and expanding tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle capacity with intermediates, i.e. anaplerosis. Humans express two GDH isoforms, GDH1 and 2, whereas most other mammals express only GDH1. hGDH1 is widely expressed in human brain while hGDH2 is confined to astrocytes. The two isoforms display different enzymatic properties and the nature of these supports that hGDH2 expression in astrocytes potentially increases glutamate oxidation and supports the TCA cycle during energy‐demanding processes such as high intensity glutamatergic signaling. However, little is known about how expression of hGDH2 affects the handling of glutamate and TCA cycle metabolism in astrocytes. Therefore, we cultured astrocytes from cerebral cortical tissue of hGDH2‐expressing transgenic mice. We measured glutamate uptake and metabolism using [ 3 H]glutamate, while the effect on metabolic pathways of glutamate and glucose was evaluated by use of 13 C and 14 C substrates and analysis by mass spectrometry and determination of radioactively labeled metabolites including CO2, respectively. We conclude that hGDH2 expression increases capacity for uptake and oxidative metabolism of glutamate, particularly during increased workload and aglycemia. Additionally, hGDH2 expression increased utilization of branched‐chain amino acids (BCAA) during aglycemia and caused a general decrease in oxidative glucose metabolism. We speculate, that expression of hGDH2 allows astrocytes to spare glucose and utilize BCAAs during substrate shortages. These findings support the proposed role of hGDH2 in astrocytes as an important fail‐safe during situations of intense glutamatergic activity. GLIA 2017;65:474–488 Main Points: Astrocytes expressing hGDH2 exhibit a reduced anaplerotic input from glucose while increasing that from glutamate and the branched‐chain amino acids suggesting that the expression of hGDH2 increases tricarboxylic acid cycle capacity in astrocytes.