Functional glutamate transport in rodent optic nerve axons and glia

Recent findings suggest that synaptic-type glutamate signaling operates between axons and their supporting glial cells. Glutamate reuptake will be a necessary component of such a system. Evidence for glutamate-mediated damage of oligodendroglia somata and processes in white matter suggests that glutamate regulation in white matter structures is also of clinical importance. The expression of glutamate transporters was examined in postnatal Day 14-17 (P14-17) mouse and in mature mouse and rat optic nerve using immuno-histochemistry and immuno-electron microscopy. EAAC1 was the major glutamate transporter detected in oligodendroglia cell membranes in both developing and mature optic nerve, while GLT-1 was the most heavily expressed transporter in the membranes of astrocytes. Both EAAC1 and GLAST were also seen in adult astrocytes, but there was little membrane expression of either at P14-17. GLAST, EAAC1, and GLT-1 were expressed in P14-17 axons with marked GLT-1 expression in the axolemma, while in mature axons EAAC1 was abundant at the node of Ranvier. Functional glutamate transport was probed in P14-17 mouse optic nerve revealing Na+-dependent, TBOA-blockable uptake of D-aspartate in astrocytes, axons, and oligodendrocytes. The data show that in addition to oligodendroglia and astrocytes, axons represent a potential source for extracellular glutamate in white matter during ischaemic conditions, and have the capacity for Na(+)-dependent glutamate uptake. The findings support the possibility of functional synaptic-type glutamate release from central axons, an event that will require axonal glutamate reuptake.