GM1 ganglioside administration protects spinal neurons after glutamate excitotoxicity

Injury of the nervous system initiates a cascade of signal transduction including a rise in extracellular glutamate which leads to subsequent secondary neuronal loss. Excitotoxicity is known to play a crucial role in cell death spinal cord trauma. Gangliosides, particularly monosialogangliosides (GM1), are protective against various neurological insults, including excitotoxicity. Gangliosides may improve outcome following human spinal cord injury in humans. To further explore the relationship between excitotoxicity and GM1, dissociated murine spinal cord preparations were exposed to glutamate (0.5 mM) with the subsequent administration of GM1 (80 micro M) at 8 and 13 days in culture. The addition of GM1 30 minutes after exposure to glumatate significantly reduced neuronal damage and preserved membrane structure and integrity. These results demonstrate that post-treatment with GM1 gangliosides after glutamate-induced excitotoxicity is effective in protecting spinal cord neurons.