Glutamatergic and GABAergic TCA Cycle and Neurotransmitter Cycling Fluxes in Different Regions of Mouse Brain

Abstract

The 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies together with the infusion of 13C-labeled substrates in rats and humans have provided important insight into brain energy metabolism. In the present study, we have extended a three-compartment metabolic model in mouse to investigate glutamatergic and GABAergic tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and neurotransmitter cycle fluxes across different regions of the brain. The 13C turnover of amino acids from [1,6-13C2]glucose was monitored ex vivo using qH-[13C]-NMR spectroscopy. The astroglial glutamate pool size, one of the important parameters of the model, was estimated by a short infusion of [2-13C]acetate. The ratio Vcyc/VTCA was calculated from the steady-state acetate experiment. The 13C turnover curves of [4-13C]/[3-13C]glutamate, [4-13C]glutamine, [2-13C]/[3-13C]GABA, and [3-13C]aspartate from [1,6-13C2]glucose were analyzed using a three-compartment metabolic model to estimate the rates of the TCA cycle and neurotransmitter cycle associated with glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons. The glutamatergic TCA cycle rate was found to be highest in the cerebral cortex (0.91±0.05 μmol/g per minute) and least in the hippocampal region (0.64±0.07 μmol/g per minute) of the mouse brain. In contrast, the GABAergic TCA cycle flux was found to be highest in the thalamus-hypothalamus (0.28±0.01 μmol/g per minute) and least in the cerebral cortex (0.24±0.02 μmol/g per minute). These findings indicate that the energetics of excitatory and inhibitory function is distinct across the mouse brain.