EFFECT OF MELATONIN ON THE GLUTAMATE/GLUTAMINE CYCLE ACTIVITY IN THEGOLDEN HAMSTER RETINA

ROSENSTEIN RE, GOLDIN AP, SALIDO E, CHIANELLI M, KELLER SARMIENTO MI, SAENZ DA

USA

Congreso; ASSOCIATION FOR RESEARCH IN VISION AND OPHTHALMOLOGY; 2005

PURPOSE: Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmiter in the retina but it is neurotoxic when preent in excessive amounts. Retinal glutamate synaptic concentrations are regulated by the activity of the glutamate/glutamine cycle. Since melatonin has been shown to be neuroprotective in several systems, in the present report, its effect on the glutamate/glutamine cycle activity was examined in the golden hamster retina CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, it might be presumed that the hamster retinal glutamate/glutamine cyce activity is regulated by physiological concentrations of melatonin. Fruthermore, these findings sugest that a treatment with melatonin could be considered as a new approach to handling glutamate-mediated neuronal degeneration.