Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin causes excessive release of glutamate in the mouse hippocampus

O Miyamoto, K Sumitani, T Nakamura… - FEMS microbiology …, 2000 - academic.oup.com
O Miyamoto, K Sumitani, T Nakamura, S Yamagami, S Miyata, T Itano, T Negi, A Okabe
FEMS microbiology letters, 2000academic.oup.com
The mechanism of neurotoxicity of Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin to the mouse brain
was investigated. Intravenous injection in mice with the toxin caused seizure and excited
hippocampal neurons. Microdialysis revealed that epsilon toxin induced excessive
glutamate release in the hippocampus. Both the seizure and glutamate release were
attenuated by prior injection with riluzole, an inhibitor of pre-synaptic glutamate release,
suggesting that this toxin enhances glutamate efflux, leading to seizure and hippocampal …
Abstract
The mechanism of neurotoxicity of Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin to the mouse brain was investigated. Intravenous injection in mice with the toxin caused seizure and excited hippocampal neurons. Microdialysis revealed that epsilon toxin induced excessive glutamate release in the hippocampus. Both the seizure and glutamate release were attenuated by prior injection with riluzole, an inhibitor of pre-synaptic glutamate release, suggesting that this toxin enhances glutamate efflux, leading to seizure and hippocampal neuronal damage.
Oxford University Press