%0 Journal Article
%T Glutamate (mGluR-5) gene expression in brain regions of streptozotocin induced diabetic rats as a function of age: role in regulation of calcium release from the pancreatic islets in vitro
%A Savitha Balakrishnan
%A Peeyush Kumar T
%A CS Paulose
%J Journal of Biomedical Science
%D 2009
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1423-0127-16-99
%X Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and exerts its action through ionotropic (iGluRs) and metabotropic receptors (mGluRs). mGluRs interact with iGluRs, ion channels and membrane enzymes that modulates cellular activities involved in the processes of differentiation and degeneration [1]. mGluRs have been divided into three subclasses according to the second-messenger pathways activated and their pharmacologic properties [2,3]. mGluR1 receptors are involved in the processing of somatosensory information as they are expressed in the thalamic neurons that receive direct sensory input [4]. Activation of group I receptors (mGluR1 and -5) results in an increase in intracellular calcium through a phospholipase C-inositoltriphosphate pathway [5] and inhibits potassium currents. The factors that modulate or disrupt IP3-mediated Ca2+ signaling exert functional regulatory role in age related and other neurodegenerative disorders [6-8].Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine disorder of carbohydrate metabolism resulting primarily from inadequate insulin release (Type I insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) or insulin insensitivity coupled with inadequate compensatory insulin release (Type II non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus). Diabetes is associated with peripheral as well as central nervous system neuropathy [9,10]. Age related changes in the capacity of ¦Â-cell for proliferation affect the insulin production and contribute to a decrease in glucose tolerance with advance in age [11]. The excitatory amino acids, glutamate are pivotal elements in the hypothalamic circuitry involved in the control of pituitary function. Our previous studies reported an enhanced glutamate dehydrogenase activity during diabetes [12,13] and its regulation on brain glutamate toxicity [14]. Recent evidence suggests that metabotropic glutamate receptors are involved in the regulation of hormone secretion in the endocrine pancreas. The endogenous activation of g
%U http://www.jbiomedsci.com/content/16/1/99