Involvement of neuronal and glial activities in control of the extracellular d-serine concentrations by the AMPA glutamate receptor in the mouse medial prefrontal cortex

It has been well accepted that d-serine may be an exclusive endogenous coagonist for the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptor in mammalian forebrain regions. We have recently found by using an in vivo dialysis method that an intra-medial prefrontal cortex infusion of S-α-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate (S-AMPA), a selective AMPA-type glutamate receptor agonist, causes a reduction in the extracellular levels of d-serine in a calcium-permeable AMPA receptor antagonist-sensitive manner. The inhibitory influence by the AMPA receptor on the extracellular d-serine, however, contradicts the data obtained from in vitro experiments that the AMPA receptor stimulation leads to facilitation of the d-serine liberation. This discrepancy appears to be due to the different cell setups between the in vivo and in vitro preparations. From the viewpoints of the previous reports indicating (1) the neuronal presence of d-serine synthesizing enzyme, serine racemase, and d-serine-like immunoreactivity and (2) the same high tissue concentrations of d-serine in the glia-enriched white matter and in the neuron-enriched gray matter of the mammalian neocortex, we have now investigated in the mouse medial prefrontal cortex, the effects of attenuation of neuronal and glial activities, by tetrodotoxin or fluorocitrate, respectively, on the S-AMPA-induced downregulation of the extracellular d-serine contents. In vivo dialysis studies revealed that a local infusion of tetrodotoxin or fluorocitrate eliminated the ability of S-AMPA given intra-cortically to cause a significant decrease in the dialysate concentrations of d-serine without affecting the elevating effects of S-AMPA on those of glycine, another intrinsic coagonist for the NMDA receptor. These findings suggest that the control by the AMPA receptor of the extracellular d-serine levels could be modulated by the neuronal and glial activities in the prefrontal cortex. It cannot be excluded that fluorocitrate would indirectly alter the modulation by changing synaptic neurotransmission via glial activity attenuation as previously reported.