Histamine H3 receptor activation inhibits glutamate release from rat striatal synaptosomes

The release of glutamate from striatal synaptosomes induced by depolarisation with 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) was studied by a method based on the fluorescent properties of the NAPDH formed by the metabolism of the neurotransmitter by glutamate dehydrogenase. Ca2+-dependent, depolarisation-induced glutamate release was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by the selective histamine H-3 agonist immepip. Best-fit estimates were: maximum inhibition 60 +/- 10% and IC50 68 +/- 10 nM. The effect of 300 nM immepip on depolarisation-evoked glutamate release was reversed by the selective H-3 antagonist thioperamide in a concentration-dependent manner (EC50 23 nM, K-1 4 nM). In fura-2-loaded synaptosomes, the increase in the intracellular concentration of Ca2+ ([Ca2+](i)) evoked by 4-AP-induced depolarisation (resting level 167 +/- 14 nM; A[Ca2+]; 88 +/- 15 nM) was modestly, but significantly reduced (29 +/- 5% inhibition) by 300 nM immepip. The action of the H-3 agonist on depolarisation-induced changes in [Ca2+], was reversed by 100 nM thioperamide. Taken together, our results indicate that histamine modulates the release of glutamate from corticostriatal nerve terminals. Inhibition of depolarisation-induced Ca2+ entry through voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels appears to account for the effect of H-3 receptor activation on neurotransmitter release. Modulation of glutamatergic transmission in rat striatum may have important consequences for the function of basal ganglia and therefore for the control of motor behaviour. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.