Cellular senescence induced by prolonged subculture adversely affects glutamate uptake in C6 lineage

Several researchers have recently used C6 cells to evaluate functional properties of high-affinity glutamate transporters. However, it has been demonstrated that this lineage suffers several morphological and biochemical alterations according to the number of passages in culture. Currently, there are no reports showing whether functional properties of high-affinity glutamate transporters comply with these sub culturing-dependent modifications. The present study aimed to compare the functional properties of high-affinity glutamate transporters expressed in early (EPC6) and late (LPC6) passage C6 cells through a detailed pharmacological and biochemical characterization. Between 60-180 min of L-[(3)H]glu incubation, LPC6 presented an intracellular [(3)H] 55% lower than EPC6. Both cultures showed a time-dependent increase of intracellular [(3)H] reaching maximal levels at 120 min. Cultures incubated with D-[(3)H]asp showed a time-dependent increase of [(3)H] until 180 min. Moreover, LPC6 have a D-[(3)H]asp-derived intracellular [(3)H] 30-45% lower than EPC6 until 120 min. Only EAAT3 was immunodetected in cultures and its total content was equal between them. PMA-stimulated EAAT3 trafficking to membrane increased 50% of L-[(3)H]glu-derived intracellular [(3)H] in EPC6 and had no effect in LPC6. LPC6 displayed characteristics that resemble senescence, such as high β-Gal staining, cell enlargement and increase of large and regular nuclei. Our results demonstrated that LPC6 exhibited glutamate uptake impairment, which may have occurred due to its inability to mobilize EAAT3 to cell membrane. This profile might be related to senescent process observed in this culture. Our results suggest that LPC6 cells are an inappropriate glial cellular model to investigate the functional properties of high-affinity glutamate transporters.