Facilitation of glutamate release by ionotropic glutamate receptors in osteoblasts

Constitutive expression of mRNA was seen for the vesicular glutamate transporter brain-specific Na+-dependent inorganic phosphate cotransporter (BNPI), but not differentiation-associated Na+-dependent inorganic phosphate cotransporter, in rat calvarial osteoblasts cultured for 7 and 21 days in vitro (DIV). Three different agonists for ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluR) at 1 mM, as well as 50 mM KCl, significantly increased the release of endogenous L-glutamate from osteoblasts cultured for 7 DIV when determined 5 min after the addition by using a high performance liquid chromatograph. The inhibitor of desensitization Of DL-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxasole-4-propionate (AMPA) receptors cyclothiazide significantly potentiated and prolonged the release of endogenous L-glutamate evoked by AMPA in a dose-dependent manner. The release evoked by AMPA was significantly prevented by the addition of an AMPA receptor antagonist as well as by the removal of Ca2+ ions. These results suggest that endogenous L-glutamate could be released from intracellular vesicular constituents associated with BNPI through activation of particular iGluR subtypes expressed in cultured rat calvarial osteoblasts. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.