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Vitamin B2 inhibits glutamate release from rat cerebrocortical nerve terminals
Su-Jane Wang1, Wen-Mein Wu, Feili-Lo Yang
1School of Medicine bDepartment of Nutritional Science, Fu Jen Catholic University, Hsin-Chuang, Taipei Hsien, Taiwan.
Abstract:
We examined the effect of riboflavin, vitamin B2, on the release of endogenous glutamate from nerve terminals purified from rat cerebral cortex. The release of glutamate evoked by 4-aminopyridine was inhibited by riboflavin. Further experiments indicated that riboflavin-mediated inhibition of glutamate release (i) results from a reduction of vesicular exocytosis, not from an inhibition of nonvesicular release; (ii) is associated with a decrease in presynaptic N-type and P/Q-type voltage-dependent Ca channel activity. These findings are the first to suggest that, in rat cerebrocortical nerve terminals, riboflavin suppresses voltage-dependent Ca channel activity and in so doing inhibits evoked glutamate release. This finding may explain the neuroprotective effects of vitamin B2 against neurotoxicity.
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