Excitatory amino acid antagonists and endogenous aspartate and glutamate release from rat hippocampal slices

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Abstract
1 The effect of excitatory amino acid agonists and antagonists on the efflux of endogenous aspartate and glutamate from the rat hippocampus in vitro was studied. 2 None of the compounds tested had any effect on the basal efflux of endogenous aspartate and glutamate. 3 2-Amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV), 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid (APH) and MK-801 all reduced the potassium-evoked efflux of aspartate and glutamate by between 14.9% and 34.3% (P < 0.05). 4 The depression of efflux brought about by APV was still observed in the presence of tetrodotoxin. 5 Neither N-methyl-d,l-aspartate nor quinolinic acid had any effect on the potassium-evoked efflux of aspartate and glutamate. 6 These results imply the existence of presynaptic amino acid receptors that are capable of modulating the efflux of endogenous aspartate and glutamate.