Mechanisms of gliotransmitter release from astrocytes by imaging analysis

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Astrocytes release variety of gliotransmitters and modulate the activity of synapse. Although gliotransmitter release from astrocytes is important for the maintaining the synaptic function, the release mechanism of gliotransmitter, especially ATP from astrocytes are not well understood. To clarify the mechanism of ATP release from astrocytes, I have performed immunocytochemical and live cell imaging analysis. I found that vesicular nucleotide transporter existed on lysosome and secretory vesicles in both primary cultured cortical astrocytes and glioma cell line C6 cells. Depletion of endogenous vesicular nucleotide transporter by small interference RNA decreased the amount of ATP release from the cells. Therefore, these data suggest that ATP-containing lysosome and secretory vesicles stored by vesicular nucleotide transporter provokes exocytosis by the increase of intracellular Ca2+ elevation in astrocytes.